Found fates
by lourdescom
Summary: Luke Skywalker knows he must face his destiny someday, but he does not know that today is that day. (English is not my mother tongue, but I will do my best...)
1. Chapter 1

Luke Skywalker ran full speed straight down the narrow aisle. He could feel blaster shots impacting the walls and floor behind him. It seemed that the whole imperial Army was chasing after him. Leia, Han, and Chewie were running just right ahead. The lightsaber jumped from his belt to block a deadly beam. The young Jedi was paralyzed for a moment as if he did not know what had just happened. Yes, the Force, that was clear, but he had no idea how he had done it. Well, it was not really the right moment to worry about it…

"We must split up!" Luke felt the heat from another shot near his left ear while he was shouting to his friends.

"What!?," Leia turned to him with fully open eyes.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Han shouted. The Corellian turned back to reply and, at the same time, he shot at two stormtroopers who had just appeared from another corridor.

"More and more stormtroopers are chasing us," continued Luke, "if we split up, they will too and perhaps we could increase our chances to escape.

"Nobody is going to split up," declared a stubborn Leia. "We will leave the same way we came in: together."

The young Jedi shook his head. It was useless to argue, so, he simply acted. They were quickly approaching a bifurcation in the hallway they were traveling. Chewie was the first who turned right, followed by Han. Leia sped up to disappear down the same road and, suddenly, she felt something…

"Luke!"

But it was already late. The young Jedi had disappeared down the left aisle. To Leia, it sounded like a thousand stormtroopers' running boot steps vanished down the same path. The Princess stopped, terrified. Shot after shot resounded deafeningly around her. Han grabbed her arm and pulled her to keep running.

"We can't leave Luke!" Leia tried to break free from him.

"If we go back, they will kill us. And that will not help the boy either. And there's no time to argue."

Leia struggled between her worry for Luke and her frustration at Han. A shot flying past her made her react. She turned and shot toward its source, then turned to run behind Han and Chewie.


	2. Chapter 2

The air smelled of laser scorches and the corridor was totally filled with smoke. Luke gasped as he ran like never before. He felt his lungs on fire and called upon the Force, which possessed his lightsaber again to protect him from the deadly rain of shots. Droplets of sweat beaded the young Jedi's forehead. His plan… Well, it had not worked as he thought it would. The stormtroopers had not split up. All of them had simply decided to go after him. On the one hand, he was glad because Han, Leia and Chewie could escape. On the other hand, things were turning downright ugly. How many stormtroopers were behind him? Fifty? A hundred? He felt the Force roaring around him and going through him completely. That was another problem. The Force had kept him alive, of course, but his control over it still left a lot to be desired. During his short training with Yoda, Luke had discovered two things. The first one was that invoking the Force was really easy. The second one was that this power, out of control, was more likely to cause problems than to solve them. Lately, it was getting harder to control it, and he did not know why. At moments like this, the Force seemed a blinding light. He knew he needed to gather all possible calm, but being pursued by a battalion of Stormtroopers did not help with that.

Suddenly an explosion made the walls and ground tremble. A sharp pain went through him. Luke gasped. A shot had torn off part of the metallic structure from the wall and pieces of it had pierced his abdomen like lethal shrapnel. The young Jedi gritted his teeth and removed the largest one. The blood started to flow from the frightening wound, leaving a path on the ground as he moved. He covered the wound as he could with his cybernetic hand and started to run. He knew his situation was desperate, but something stronger than him urged him onward. His waning strength kept him on his feet until he reached a small hangar. Hope seemed to be reborn. If he could hang on a little longer, long enough to steal a ship and jump into hyperspace… Suddenly he was paralyzed. His sight became hazy as he saw Darth Vader's personal ship docked in the middle of the hangar.

"No… It cannot be…"

He gasped as he felt a very familiar and ruthless coldness that pierced his soul. Luke spun around to see the Dark Lord of the Sith right in front of him. Vader stared at the boy. Luke got his hand to his lightsaber, but his strength was failing him. At that moment, Vader became aware that his son was injured. The robotic breathing stopped at the sight of the wound and the trace of blood at Luke's feet.

"Luke…"

The name came out of the vocoder with more urgency than Vader would have liked. The boy barely took a step and his world darkened, falling to the ground unconscious. Vader crossed the distance to him in the blink of an eye. He knew the boy was alive, but he could not help but scan him completely with his dark power. Luke was very weak. He had lost a considerable amount of blood, and the sight of the bloody wound in his stomach was atrocious. Without missing a second, the Dark Lord called a non-commissioned officer.

"Transfer the prisoner to the medical center. Immediately! "He ordered.

Medical commander Veers looked with concern at the young patient who had just arrived among a stir of stormtroopers and medical officers. He examined the wound and checked his vital signs quickly. The boy, whoever he was, had lost a large amount of blood. Veers began to issuing commands to the other medical officers, and soon the boy was laid on a bed and intubated. If he did not receive liquid immediately by IV line the unknown young man would die at any moment. The scanner showed a weak, too fast pulse. That was not a good sign. As he worked frantically, the dark and threatening figure of Darth Vader seemed to come out of nowhere. Veers looked up at the Dark Lord.

"How is he feeling?" asked Vader bluntly.

Veers shook his head.

"He has lost… too much blood. It is incredible he still alive. His pulse is racing, but weak. The IV line I have just inserted may only extend his agony a little longer. He will die unless he receives a very generous blood transfusion."

Vader clenched his fist. Veers could feel the pressure of Vader's anger around his throat. The doctor looked at him, swallowing with a supreme effort.

"You can choke me if you wish, My Lord, but that will not change the diagnosis."

The Dark Lord cursed under his breath, knowing Veers was right. He opened his fist. There was no time to lose.

"What the hell are you waiting for? You must begin that transfusion!"

"It is not that easy," the doctor replied." It seems that boy does not have good luck. He has the most uncommon blood type of the galaxy: B-. We do not possess enough of it in our blood bank."

Vader glared at him.

"His blood is the same type as mine"

The doctor looked at him, his eyes going wide as he guessed at the Dark Lord's suggestion.

"My Lord, sorry for disagreeing with you, but you cannot be the donor. Your health…"

This time he could not keep talking. Vader clenched his fist again, angrily.

"Prepare immediately for the blood transfusion. And if you care about your life, do it well."

Doctor Veers swallowed again. He knew full well that questioning Vader's orders was a death sentence, but he was a doctor. His job consisted in saving all lives he could and all of them were equally important for him. Yes, even the life of a monstrous being like Vader. He breathed heavily and looked at the Dark Lord.

"It will be done as you order My Lord. But I must warn you that the boy needs, at a minimum, one and a half liters of blood to survive. No normal human being can donate that quantity without putting his own life at risk."

Vader looked at the doctor. James Veers was general Maximilian Veers's little brother and, like him, he had earned Darth Vader's personal respect because of the efficiency and sense of justice he always applied to his job. Yes, the Veers brothers were the rare exception among the Imperial incompetence that surrounded him.

"Proceed, doctor"

Veers did not try his luck any further. He pointed out the stretcher nearest Luke's and requested Vader to take a seat. Vader settled himself, removed the glove from his right hand and exposed his arm. Veers examined him carefully. Finding the radial vein in someone who had the entire artificial forearm was not easy. And the fact that the rest of the human arm he could see was lined with frightful scars did not help either. But Veers was an experienced doctor and managed to find the vein. He opened the intravenous line with precision and connected it to the bag suspended above their heads.

"It would be best if you lean back, sir," suggested Veers.

Vader did not answer nor move. The precious scarlet liquid started to fill the bag. Veers checked out the intravenous line of Luke's arm. After a few seconds, he connected the IV line of the young patient with the bag. Blood started flowing up to Luke's arm immediately. Veers looked at the process with concern. Vader would have to fill that bag nearly three times to give that boy one chance to survive. He knew it was madness. But he knew too that Vader was not a normal human being. Nobody "normal" could have survived the terrible circumstances he had experienced.

The bag was filled a second time. Veers checked the young patient's vital signs. The pulse and blood pressure were normalizing gradually. That was a great sign. He could not help but be surprised at Luke's fast improvement. Too fast. But the more incredible was Vader's strength. The bag was filled for the third time. Veers hurriedly cut off Vader's intravenous line and removed the cannula, placing a bandage on his full scarred arm. Vader held his arm for a moment and invoked the dark side of the Force, allowing it to run through him, saturating him, nourishing him, as if darkness were the new blood that replenished his strength. Then he got up.

"Let me know as soon as you have news of the boy's condition".

Vader briefly paused to look at the unconscious boy. Then he turned on his heel without saying another word and disappeared.


	3. Chapter 3

Vader sat motionless into his hyperbaric chamber. He would never admit it, but losing so much blood had weakened him more than he had expected. No matter; it was not too serious. The nutritive serum that his personal medical droid had just injected into his veins was working quite well. He closed his eyes for a moment and allowed the Force to flow through him. He could feel the blinding presence of Luke in the Executor's medical area, shining as intensely as a small star. He still found it hard to believe that the boy was finally in his hands. What the hell had Luke been doing here, in the Executor? How had he managed to infiltrate into none other than his personal ship? Vader knew that a little group of rebels had been captured by the tractor beam but even in his wildest dreams he would not imagine that Luke would be among them. Especially taking into account that he was the most wanted rebel in the galaxy. The boy was anything but cautious, that was clear. Vader shook his head. Yes, he could not deny the Skywalker heritage. He was too similar to... Anakin at that age... Vader shook his head angrily, pushing away his old self, and he focused on the boy's signature. He could sense that his son was out of danger and that made him breathe o relief. Suddenly, that relief fueled his rage again. Why knowing that Luke was fine was so comforting to him? There were no blood ties for a Sith; such a thing was a weakness. He persuaded himself that his only interest for that boy was his great power and nothing more. Thanks to that power he could achieve his greatest goal: destroy the Emperor and take the place which belonged to him. That was all that mattered.

The Dark Lord allowed the robotic arm to place his helmet over his head, blocking his normal vision with that cursed red filter. Palpatine would pay for all he had doing to him. Once Luke had fallen to the Dark Side, both, father and son, would be invincible. Nothing would stop them. Together they would crush the Emperor like the womp rat he was. But first, he had to get his son seduced by the Dark Side. He knew it would be the greatest challenge. The boy had an enormous potential, even in the weak Light Side of the Force. And he was as stubborn as powerful. When he finally embraced the Darkness, his power would be unmatched. Vader smiled. He had always liked difficult challenges, and this one was the most stimulant ever.

Vader moved one hand and the hyperbaric chamber opened with a snap. It would be best if he went to talk to Luke. Oh, yes, they had a great many things to talk about...

* * *

A soft brightness made its way into Luke Skywalker's unconsciousness and startled him awake. He opened his eyes slowly, trying to focus on the blurred image in front of him. He blinked at the sight of the white sheets that covered him. His eyes moved quickly to the ceiling, the walls... all absolutely white and unsullied. Suddenly he glared at the bandage which covered nearly his entire abdomen. No, it had not been a nightmare. He felt a light pain in the wound when he tried to get up. A man whose face was too kind to be an Imperial officer shook his head.

"I wouldn't move if I were you"

The young Jedi looked at him.

"Who are you?"

"I am Medical Commander Veers, aboard the Executor".

Luke swallowed hard and looked around. Veers gave him a sympathetic look.

"You better calm down. After all, you can do nothing and, in your situation, I assure you that stress is very harmful. Your recovery is amazing, true, but you should not tempt fate."

"Why am I here? I do not understand. I should be dead."

"You are right," Veers agreed. "It seems that your life is very important for Lord Vader. If it wasn't for him, you would most certainly not be here".

"Why not?"

"Because he is the donor of the blood which has saved your life."

The young Jedi opened his mouth, astonished.

"What?!"

"You heard me correctly. So try to relax and recover completely so as not to waste Lord Vader's generous gift. I doubt he would find it funny."

The boy swallowed. No, it could not be true. Vader... had saved his life? He looked at his arm. Oh, damn it! Vader's blood flowed through his veins. Although well, anyway he carried that blood since he was born. He shook that thought aside. Why the hell had Vader saved his life? Deep inside, he knew the answer.

Before he could ask more questions, a freezing presence flooded him, stopping his breath for a moment. The medical center's door opened to reveal Vader. The Dark Lord stared at Luke as he strode in, with his black cloak waving behind him.

"Leave us," he said, not bothering to look at Veers.

The doctor did not need to be told twice; he disappeared, closing the door. Luke and Vader looked at each other in silence, one really frightening and the other one trying not to seem too frightened. The Dark Lord pierced the boy with his gaze and was pleased to see that the boy's rebelliousness prevented him from turning away those eyes he knew were blue. Luke gritted his teeth.

"Why did you save my life?" the young Jedi asked abruptly.

Vader smiled behind the mask, unable to avoid it.

"Would you rather be dead?" he replied with a hint of amusement.

"Rather than being here? Of course, I would."

The Dark Lord looked at him, amused and wicked.

"At this point, you should know that your destiny is not in your hands but in mine."

Luke looked at him defiantly.

"At this point, you should also know that I will never join you, 'father'," Luke replied, imitating Vader's venomous tone surprisingly well. The Sith Lord stared at the boy, approached him, and took him by his shirt collar offhandedly. Luke felt his bravado weakened at the sight of his own face reflected in the nearby black mask, but he still held his head up, in part trying to keep on his pride and in part hoping to prevent his father from raising him up and causing further pain to his abdomen. But Vader knew very well how to calculate his strength. Luke was surprised to find that, despite the threatening gesture, he was not hurting him at all.

"Insolent brat..." Vader muttered. "I see that not only do you need to complete your training in the Force but you need some education classes as well. But everything will come in time."

Luke did not have time to react. Vader released him and took a step backward, still watching his son.

"What were you doing, or rather trying to do when I found you in the hangar?"

"Escaping from a hundred stormtroopers, perhaps?"

Vader glared at him. At that point, Luke realized that he had pushed his luck enough for that day. Yes, he was furious because his father had captured him, but provoking the Dark Lord would be useless. Well, yes, it would help him to figure out Vader's tolerance limit and see how far his patience could be probed before the Dark Lord crushed his trachea with a snap of metal fingers. The young Jedi grimaced.

"Han, Leia, Chewie and I were trying to escape after stealing information about Carida's Imperial base computers."

Vader blinked.

"Are you saying that you and your friends had considered it feasible to infiltrate the Executor, steal high-security information and escape as if nothing had happened? Who has been the genius who came up with such nonsense?"

Luke looked at him, his expression annoyed. Vader could barely suppress a laugh. He had not felt like laughing for what seemed like a thousand years, and it was a really strange feeling.

"Hey! It was not such a bad plan. In fact, it worked... more or less. The important thing is that Han and Leia managed to escape with the information."

Vader shook his head.

"It is surprising that you give such importance to that information. It will be useless for your rebellious friends; much more since I finally have you in my hands."

The young Jedi swallowed.

"I will never be useful to you. And you know it," he said, holding Vader's gaze.

The Dark Lord did not answer. He knew this would lead to an endless discussion and, to tell the truth, he did not feel like having that quarrel for the umpteenth time. He simply examined his son. The boy seemed to be quite recovered, although Vader could also see through the bandage that his wound was still healing. Luke felt the dark power wind through his abdomen and he could not help but give a start. The abrupt movement made the pain appear again.

"Relax,"Vader said. "You know I am not going to hurt you."

"Actually, I do not know that at all" Luke replied. "What are you going to do with me? Are you going to hand me over to the Emperor?"

Vader stared at his son again.

"That would not be very smart, considering that to destroy him it is necessary that you are alive and turned to the Dark Side."

The young Jedi gritted his teeth.

"How many times do I have to tell you that I will NEVER turn to the Dark Side? Of course, I want to destroy Palpatine. We agree about that point. But I will not do it by becoming a monster like him or you."

Vader snorted. Sometimes he wondered how the hell he had so much patience with that brat. Ah, of course, he was his son...

"I am not going to discuss that now," he snapped. "We are heading to Coruscant. The Emperor is absent from the Imperial Center and he will be away for a few months. That gives us time."

"Time to what?" Luke asked.

"To complete your training. At least, to complete it enough so you will not be an easy prey for Palpatine."

Luke looked defiantly at his father.

"And... you think you will be the one who is going to do that? I will not allow..."

Vader approached and grabbed his shirt collar again, threatening.

"You are not in the position to allow or not allow anything," he snarled."I regret to inform you that, in your current situation, you have no alternative. You are my prisoner and no one defies me, not even my own son. Have I made myself clear?"

A few eternal seconds passed. The young Jedi stared at the death's head mask mere centimeters from his face. Suddenly his helplessness, fear, and rage seemed to evaporate. A very strange feeling was invading him. It was as if he could almost "see" the unknown face of his father through the mask. Luke knew it was impossible. However, he could swear to have seen a pair of blue eyes staring into his, full of fury, but also full of a delirious mix of feelings as well. Two eyes identical to his. No, it could not be true. He didn't know why, but it was impossible to imagine Vader with blue eyes.

The Dark Lord also seemed to feel something strange; a powerful bond with his son that he had not felt so far. The Force burned between them and it was the damn weak side which was tying him to the boy. He knew it came from Luke. The young Jedi had created it without being aware of and Vader had also accepted it unconsciously, showing through it secrets he should not. His anger burned at this thought. Luke shuddered to feel it. Something seemed to have changed forever.

"Yes," answered the boy. There was a new resolution in his eyes. "I want to complete my training, but not on the Dark Side."

Vader blinked. The boy's voice, clear and determined, surprised him somewhat. It seemed as if he had modulated it to use the old Jedi trick of mental dominance, though that made no sense. However, this change of attitude in the boy... Suddenly he had stopped behaving with that rebelliousness and stubbornness so typical of the Skywalkers. Why? He knew the strange connection that had appeared a minute ago had something to do with it. For a moment, Vader considered the idea of invading his son's mind and searching for the answer without further ado, but he cast it aside. The boy was powerful. Certainly not powerful enough yet to block the invasion of his mind, but Vader knew that he would resist with all his might. That not only would cause him terrible damage in his still convalescent condition but would also destroy that momentary willingness of Luke to collaborate... even in part. No, it was better to control his curiosity, at least for the moment. The fact that the boy wanted to continue his training was an excellent beginning. Patience was not his strong point, but Vader knew he should not force things. There was much at stake.

"I am glad to see that there is still some common sense in you," the Dark Lord slowly released the crumpled collar of the rebel commander's shirt and stepped back from the young man without breaking eye contact."All right, for the moment your instruction will not include the Dark Side's knowledge."

Luke opened his mouth.

"Seriously?"

Vader just nodded.

"But... Does that mean that you will train me on the Light Side?" the boy blinked astonished. "Can you do that? You are a Sith Lord. It is supposed that you..."

He fell silent immediately as he felt the dark power of his father dancing around his throat. Vader shook his head.

"At least I have figured out what I have to do to make you shut up," he said, half angry and half amused.

"It is not funny," Luke dared to say.

The Dark Lord seemed to breathe heavily as if he was doing an exercise of patience unknown to him so far.

"Listen to me well, because I will not repeat myself," he said, staring at the boy so fiercely that Luke shuddered. "The first rule you must learn is that my orders are never questioned. No one has lived long enough to dare to try. You are not an exception for being my son, although I must add that this circumstance is what allows you to continue breathing thus far." Luke swallowed and looked away for a moment. Vader continued. "Having said that, yes; I can train you in the use of the Force without using the Dark Side and yes, there are some uses of the Force in which the weak side is more useful than the powerful side."

The fear of his father's reprimand seemed to evaporate at such a revelation. Luke's eyes widened.

"Like what?"

"You will learn them in due time. Now you should rest. The Executor will arrive at the Imperial Center in two standard days. It will be much better for you if you are fully recovered."

"Actually, I am quite well. I am just... hungry," admitted the young Jedi feeling a little embarrassed.

Vader repressed a mixture of mockery and bitterness. That boy was like him. No, not him but Anakin. Yes, the "hero without fear" had also had an excellent appetite. A black feeling invaded him again.

"I will order to bring you something to eat."

Without saying another word, the Dark Lord straightened, turned on his heel and left. Luke, at first paralyzed from feeling his father's bitterness, looked at the door through which he had disappeared.

"Thank you..." whispered the boy.


	4. Chapter 4

_Hi everybody! Thanks for your patience, my dear readers. There comes next chapter! And thank you very much to you,_ _Neila Nuruodo_ _, for your fantastic job as a beta. This fanfic wouldn't be the same without you!_

Luke Skywalker glanced at the amazing view through the huge transparisteel window. Despite his best efforts, he felt his jaw drop. Yes, he had left Tatooine and the rest of his simple life four years ago and, even it seemed like a short time, over those years he had traveled the galaxy from one side to the other, visiting hundreds of planets during his missions as a Rebel Commander. However, nothing could have prepared him for such a view. Coruscant was an overwhelming experience. Yes, Coruscant, that was its name. Period. Calling it "Imperial Center" was out of question. Of course, Imperials could execute him only for that, but having so many charges over his head – the most wanted rebel, responsible for the destruction of the Death Star, a future Jedi, etc...- being executed for refusing to use the imperial name of the capital of the Old Republic would truly be a joke.

The young Jedi looked at that incredible view before him. An entire planet, and not a small one, totally transformed into an endless city. An enormous metropolis which wove its net like a cobweb made of permacrete, transparisteel and gray durasteel, with a myriad of lights illuminating the skyscrapers and an incessant traffic of countless vehicles circulating through thousand of levels, so dense that it was clearly visible even though they were still several hundred kilometers above the planet. The sun made the artificial surface shine like a metallic skin. There was no trace of nature, neither river nor forest. Not even a desert like his arid home planet. Everything had been destroyed to create that imposing city, that man-made planet built first to be a symbol of democracy in the Republic and which had ended up growing like a monster to represent the evil power of the Empire.

A door opened behind him and the young Jedi had to blink a few times to come back to reality.

"Sir, we are approaching the Imperial Center. Lord Vader orders you to go to his personal hangar immediately."

Luke glanced at the young officer, who looked down in a signal of respect. That surprised him. The last thing he was expected was such courteous treatment.

"Thank you. I'm ready right now".

But before he could take a step in his direction, the officer dipped his head and went out closing the door. Luke blinked again. Apparently, he was not being escorted to the hangar? He looked around the elegant room in which he had been settled since he left the Executor's medical center. It was all too weird. Vader was not treating him as a prisoner at all, which filled him with a mixture of restlessness and uncontrollable curiosity. He approached the door and, before resting his hand on the doorknob, a thought crossed his mind. Okay, yes, it was madness but... Could he possibly escape? The doorknob turned and the door opened, showing the corridor, as dark as empty. He blinked again, puzzled, and looked from left to right. There was not a soul and the Force told him the same as his eyes. He felt the motors of the Executor had dropped to a lower pitch, cycling down into an orbital mode, but nothing more. There was no one within the radius of a several hundred meters. He took a step forward, looking around carefully in astonishment. If only he had his lightsaber...

"I hope you are not planning some useless escape attempt..."

Luke Skywalker jerked, terrified. His father's voice came to him so clearly that it resounded into his head. But obviously, there was no one there.

"What the hell...?"

"You have two standard minutes to show yourself in the hangar". Vader's cold voice sounded again into his brain. The boy jumped and turned.

"How the hell did you do that?!" he almost shouted to the lonely hallway.

"One minute and forty-five seconds," warned the stern voice again. "And you do not need to scream. I hear you perfectly."

Luke swallowed hard at the warning.

"Okay, okay." He shook his head and closed his mouth. Could he do the same? Instead of talking, he tried to think the words he was about to say. But his father's menacing voice echoed in his mind again.

"One minute and twenty seconds..."

"I'm going!"

Luke Skywalker sprinted down the hallway.

Darth Vader repressed a grin behind his mask as he saw a breathless Luke appear in the hangar. The boy tried to regain his composure when he stopped in front of him. The Dark Lord only moved his head, nodding at the ramp to his personal shuttle. Luke obeyed without replying and went up, followed by Vader and the rest of the officers. The crew took their places while Vader and Luke took seats in the passage area. The engines turned on and the shuttle moved gracefully, leaving the hangar easily to plunge into the dense atmosphere of Coruscant. The young Jedi looked at the ship curiously. It was different from the rest of Imperial shuttles. It seemed much more agile, judging by the powerful sound of the engines. In general, shuttles were considered to be the less "attractive" ships, not only in design but also in power and reliability. Luke knew in detail all the virtues and defects of all ships used in both the rebel and Imperial fleets. He hated to admit that he liked something of the Empire, but he did. Imperial ships were really magnificent compared to the Rebel Aliance's. That was not extraordinary, though, considering that the funds of the Rebel Alliance were a charity compared to those of the all-powerful Empire.

The Dark Lord watched Luke, who was unaware to his scrutiny and still examining his ship, discovering its technical characteristics. Again the same unnerving feeling. Why on earth did that boy look so much like him? He corrected himself again. Why on earth did that boy look so much like Anakin? Although, well, he had to admit that the passion for piloting and for any kind of transport or ship was something of his old self that still existed in him. He grew angry automatically at the memory of his old self, as he always did, but his rage faded as he continued to examine his son. He needed to find something that would not remind him Anakin. Certainly, he had not inherited his stature. The boy was not especially tall, although he was not short either. His build was not his own either. He had been stronger at his age ... Or, well, he would have been, had he still been Anakin. At the age of twenty-four, the same age that Luke was now, he had already become Vader and lost his fantastic physical shape, reduced to a mutilated and injured body. His rage invaded him more intensely, enough for Luke to feel it. The young Jedi turned his attention away from the ship with a slight fright. He looked at his father, who looked back at him. The boy was about to ask him if something was wrong, but Vader spoke first.

"This shuttle is a modified Y-T1500 special type. There is no other like it in the whole galaxy. It is equipped with six hyperdrive engines, which allows it to cross hyperspace at the same speed as a Victoy-class Star Destroyer."

Luke forgot his question instantly, his avid curiosity returning.

"Does it have a camouflage device?"

Vader glanced at him. Luke looked proud and somewhat shy as he continued.

"I noticed it has some special shields on the fuselage. I supposed they were some sort of concealment devices, though I had never seen them like that before."

"Indeed," Vader corroborated. "It seems that you are talented in everything related to ships."

"I love them," Luke admitted with an enthusiastic smile.

"When we arrive at Coruscant you can see my personal collection."

Luke gaped at him.

"You have ... a collection of ships?"

Vader's previous anger seemed to disappear completely, replaced by amusement at the sight of the boy's face.

"Fifty."

Luke had to swallow before answering.

"F...Fifty? Wow, that's ... amazing!"

"I like ships, too," Vader added.

That sentence made Luke remain silent. Having something in common with Darth Vader was something that could not be easily assimilated. Although on the other hand, being his father, it made sense that they could have quite a few things in common. That brief image in which he saw his father with those blue eyes equal to his sprung to his mind unbidden. He shuddered. Could he take after Vader? He tried to push the thought away. He was not and would never be like Vader. Never. They might share the power of the Force and the passion for piloting, but the similarities ended there. End of story.

"If I were you, I would not bet that the similarities end there." Vader said.

Luke stared at him in astonishment.

"Ha ... have you read my mind?"

Vader grimaced.

"Read is not the right word. Your thoughts are like the roars of banthas in the desert. In fact, the difficult thing is not to listen to them. And that is the first thing you must learn to control."

"How?"

The Dark Lord seemed to evaluate his son for a moment.

"You must create a barrier using the Force. Shield your mind. Concentrate the Force on that barrier until you feel that nothing can enter or leave your brain."

Luke started to do it. He breathed slowly and then the Force flowed through him. He knew he needed to relax to the fullest; otherwise, he would never put any order on that stormy river. Slowly, the intense flow ceased to move chaotically and began to concentrate on his head, flooding it. Vader observed his son as he concentrated. He could not help but feel proud. The boy was doing quite well for his first time. It was not easy to control that potential, but Luke was doing it little by little. Suddenly, the boy's thoughts seemed to dissolve into the immensity of the space. Vader smiled behind his mask. Sweat wet the young Jedi's forehead due to the effort he was making. Finally, after a few seconds, the effect disappeared.

"It's ... exhausting," panted Luke.

"It is normal the first time, and even more when you have to control a potential as big as yours," Vader said. "With practice, you will improve until you can lock your mind indefinitely without any effort."

Luke did it again. This time he held it for several minutes.

"I think ... I ... I know how ... I could last a bit ... more," the boy was out of breath.

"It's enough, Luke," Vader was pleased to see his son's interest. "You do not have to wear yourself out today. All in good time.

"I just do not want you to read my mind," Luke replied, preparing to try the third time.

Vader suppressed a mocking smile.

"You will have to train a lot more to prevent that. Also, even if you block your thoughts, I could easily destroy that weak barrier if I wanted to."

"Really?"

The boy looked at him, first surprised and then a bit defiant. He summoned his power again, and this time the light barrier seemed more stable and clear. Vader smiled and accepted the challenge gladly. The dark power assaulted Luke's mind, clashing with the bright barrier. Vader was proud again. That boy was improving very fast, though not yet enough. Darkness broke the light and penetrated the young Jedi's mind. Luke could barely contain a cry of pain as he felt it, as if a black dagger had stuck in his mind. Vader withdrew immediately. For a moment, he felt the pain of his son as if it were his own and cursed himself for having caused it. But again the rage erased that feeble feeling. He should feel nothing for that boy. Nothing. He was his instrument to destroy the Emperor and for that, he would serve. Vader would remind himself of that as many times as necessary. That boy was the product of weak, useless Anakin Skywalker. He could not harbor any feelings but hatred for him. He would fulfill his task, and once fulfilled, if he interfered with his plans, he would eliminate him as he had eliminated Anakin.

Luke regained his breath when the pain disappeared. For an instant, he was furious with himself for not being able to stop Vader's attack. But the fury dissolved little by little. He had received his first lesson at the hands of his father, and as surprising as it might seem, he had liked it.

"Thank you," he said simply. "It was very interesting. But I assure you that next time it will not be so easy for you." He smiled, his expression a mixture of amusement and innocence.

Vader felt a dagger digging into his heart, harder than the one he had struck Luke with before. At that moment the boy had the same expression as ... No, NO! He erased the beautiful image that had begun to materialize in his mind.

"I hope so. Otherwise, it would not be worth the effort to train you," said Vader venomously.

Luke was about to reply, but something told him that was not a good idea. Father and son remained silent for the rest of the travel.


	5. Chapter 5

A huge black mass rose from the horizon and hid the sunlight, like a looming black abyss. And the truth is that it was. Luke glared at it, trying to repress that mixture of fear and astonishment which flew trough him. The dense air of Coruscant stirred his hair gently, moving it as much as his soul. The Dark Side flowed from that majestic palace with such intensity that he felt it like a physical pain. It jabbed him in his recent wound as well as older, healed ones. He clenched the fist of his cybernetic hand unconsciously as he felt a sharp pain in his wrist. The echoes of so much pure evil surrounded him and seemed to devour his weak presence in the Force.

"The Emperor's palace."

His father's words seemed to push back some of the darkness that surrounded him. Luke blinked and turned his eyes to Vader, who was watching him quietly. They had just descended from the shuttle in which they had arrived at their destination, and now they stood motionless on the landing platform, flanked by the Dark Lord's personal guard. He would never have thought that Darth Vader could be a comforting presence. But at that moment, he was.

"It is like... a hole of darkness."

"It is, indeed."

Luke shuddered. He was deeply grateful that Palpatine were not in his residence at the time. The young Jedi gritted his teeth. It was not as if he was a coward, but... No, he WAS not a coward. Feeling intimidated by that inhuman monster which was the Emperor was not a sign of cowardice, but common sense. He began to realize how much he had to learn if he wanted to have a minimal chance to destroy that beast. At that moment, standing in front of the Emperor's overwhelming evil, his determination faltered. Obi-Wan and Yoda considered him his last hope, as did the Rebel Alliance. Even Vader thought that he was his best option to destroy Palpatine. However, in this moment, he felt anything but powerful.

"Never doubt your power, Luke."

He startled. Again, his father had entered his mind without even realizing it. That made his self-esteem deflate even more.

"Why do you have so much faith in it? I am not even able to block my mind and prevent you from reading my thoughts", replied Luke with bitter irony.

"Not yet, but you said yourself that next time it would not be so easy. Have you forgotten your bragging so soon?" Vader goaded him.

Luke gritted his teeth again. His father was right, in his curious way of spurring him. He could not allow anything to lessen his resolve. There were so many things which depended on it; the least of which was his own life.

"I haven't forgotten it."

The young Jedi raised his head, full of determination. Vader could not stop but a huge wave of pride at seeing how his son eliminated all trace of doubts. The boy was strong and he would need to be for what was coming. The Dark Lord turned on his heels and headed for the exit of the platform. Luke imitated him. Right in front of them stood an imposing black tower that gleamed like a jewel, rising majestically to a considerable height. The unmistakable dark presence of Vader seemed to imbue that tower, so Luke realized that asking to whom it belonged would be stupid. The young Jedi hurried to follow the Dark Lord's long steps. Immediately they came to a side door that connected to a hangar. They got into the turbolift in absolute silence and came to a long hallway. They walked down it without any company other than the sound of their own steps and the mechanical respirator's pace. Finally, a door opened in front of them.

"I hope your chambers will please you," said Vader, nodding slightly ahead.

The young Jedi looked at Vader for a moment before entering. He walked into, astonished. An elegant but as well simple circular room stood before him. The floor and the ceiling were dark, but the walls were a pale ivory colour. There was a black leather couch on a corner next to a table of the same colour. In the opposite wall appeared a holoprojector and a door ajar, through which he glimpsed a bedroom. But the most amazing was the frontal wall, made of transparisteel with large windows which revealed an incredible view of Coruscant. Luke approached and stared at the spectacular sunset. After a long moment, he turned and looked at Vader.

"This is... I wouldn't have ever imagined some like... this."

The Dark Lord understood the boy perfectly. Anybody who had been raised in Tatooine would understand Luke's reaction.

"Even though you don't believe it, my castle is the least ostentation building you can find in the Imperial Center, "he said, with subtle sarcasm." Evidently, that is correct if we don't take into account the Underworld.

"Really?" Luke looked at him surprised.

"The upper class of Coruscant is anything but restrained. A courtier can gather in his habitual residence more objects of extravagant luxury that neurons in his brain."

Luke smiled involuntarily at his father's sarcasm. He saw that Vader was fully aware of his reaction and erased his smile, a little embarrassed. That naïve response caused a stir of feelings in the Dark Lord, who buried them promptly under his dark power. The boy shook his head.

"This is... too much. Something simpler would have been enough."

"Do you prefer a cell in the basement?"

Luke looked at his father. For the first time, he could sense in him something totally different from hate, doubt, pain and bitterness. He felt amazed at seeing a facet of Vader unknown until now. Who could have ever thought that Darth Vader himself could joke? Well, it was more a cruel sarcasm than a joke, but it was clear that in this moment, Vader was not radiating hate but fun. The young Jedi shook his head.

"There is no need to be so extreme..." mumbled the boy. He saw the way Vader was looking at him and he hurried to add."Okay, it's alright. I thank you for... all this."

"Very considerate..." Vader raised a menacing index towards the boy, though his voice still sounded full of irony. "If I were you, I wouldn't abuse your privileged position so."

"That's a threat?"

"A warning."

Luke narrowed his eyes slightly. He could feel the bluff in Vader's voice.

"It doesn't make sense that you threaten me. I know you would never hurt me," he said with a conviction which he believed like a dogma of faith. It was madness thinking like that and all evidence showed just the contrary, but Luke took refuge in that hope. Somehow, he knew that madness was true.

Vader stared at his son, feeling angry, surprised and proud at the same time. The boy had just discovered something which he had always hidden furiously in the deepest part of his soul: his conflict, his fight for keep feeding his hate and bitterness despite that cursed flame of light which still survived into the most hidden part of his mind. That weak flame which made him still remember Padmé and care about Luke much more than he would ever admit. Not even Palpatine knew that weakness. The fact that Luke had felt it despite being almost untrained was only further evidence of his superb potential.

"You have the foolish and typical Jedi's idealism," said Vader with a hit of bitterness and rage in his voice. "Something that time will correct undoubtedly. It's true, I'm not going to hurt you, but the reasons are more prosaic," the fierceness made his voice even deeper. "Besides, there are other ways to give you a lesson, young one."

Before Luke could ask which they were, Vader waved his hand. The holoprojector turned on and a diagram appeared on the wall. It looked like a sort of weekly schedule...

"What's that?"

"Your schedule," Vader corroborated bluntly.

Luke's blue eyes seemed to pop out of his sockets. That schedule began every day at six in the morning, except on Saturdays and Sundays, when it began at seven. He had half an hour to get up, to have a shower, to dress and to have a breakfast. After that, he would begin his training sessions. Five hours in the morning, then two hours of study and then a rest till lunch time. In the afternoon he would have another four hours of training, from three to seven, and two more hours of study. Dinner was at nine o' clock in the evening and bedtime was at half past ten. Saturdays and Sundays he had a similar schedule, except afternoons, where he had more free time. Luke's mouth opened more and more as he read.

"¡¿Nine hours of daily training?! And four of study..." Luke glared at his father, astonished.

"Did you think that you were going here to enjoy holidays?"

"No, but this... It's madness!

"This is a normal training schedule for any Jedi padawan from the Old Republic."

Luke's jaw dropped. Not even the few months he had been training with Yoda had been so demanding. And the old Jedi master imposed tough discipline.

"Why do I need so much training if I'm supposed to have so much potential?" Luke searched for some weapon to wield in that fight he suspected he'd lost before it had even begun.

Vader repressed a smile.

"That it's precisely the reason. The more potential, the more time and training required. And, as we don't have much time, we need to take advantage of it totally. Besides, taking into count your disturbing hobby for questioning everything, we will need all these hours," he finished with his genuine irony.

The boy looked at him.

"I do not question everything," Luke shot back, feeling somewhat offended.

"We spend half an hour of conversation to give you some instructions which could be explained in five minutes."

Luke bit his tongue. He shook his head, almost gave up, but a new idea materialized into his mind.

"All right, but you are the Supreme Commander of the Imperial Fleet and I imagine that you don't have so many free hours to dedicate to my training..."

This time, Vader had to make a real effort to suppress his laugh. The boy was imaginative and had ideas on how to get his way; that was clear. He was clever. But Vader was too.

"I thank you for your concern, young one, but that detail has no importance. I will not be always with you when you train. You will do the meditation class on your own."

This time, Luke dropped his shoulders in defeat and looked at his father. He could sense the smile of triumph on Vader's face as clearly as if he were not wearing the frightened black mask. To tell the true, it was not funny in any way for him that his father was having fun at his expense. The young Jedi raised his chin and gave Vader his best look of defiant pride. His father would regret his wry smile. Despite the hard training, he would prove to his father that he could do this, that he was a Skywalker and was worthy to be the son of Anakin. There was nothing more stimulating for him than the fact that somebody doubt he could do it. He could do it. He reinforced his determination and the Force seemed to give him the faith he had momentarily lost at the sight of Emperor's Castle.

"Okay, then. When I start?"


	6. Chapter 6

The noisy panting of breathing was more than audible in the huge and stark hall and, curiously enough, it didn't belong to Vader. The Dark Lord shook his head disapprovingly while he was observing his son, who struggled to put enough oxygen into his lungs after the exhausting test. He had just finished a fifty rounds race around that giant hall, avoiding the blaster shots which four flying droids were shooting against him. And not in the stunned mood, as the Force warned him as soon as they fired the first time. He managed to escape unharmed and with no more damage than a few scratches and his left trouser leg a little scorched. It was not too bad, taking into count that he was totally unarmed. But Luke knew immediately that, as a teacher, his father was going to be very much more demanding than Yoda. The tiny Master Jedi almost never praised his improvements in the use of the Force, but he had the feeling that, compared to Vader, Yoda had pampered him in Dagobah. The young Jedi caught his breath and looked at his father, who looked back at him without concealing his annoyance.

"I didn't do it so bad," said Luke, feeling a little displeased.

"You didn't do it 'so bad' if, at least, you had prevented from the shots to graze you," Vader replied angrily. "I suppose that, in your opinion, 'don't do it so bad' is staying alive."

"Well, after all, this is what it matters, isn't it?"

The Dark Lord hardened so much his look as his voice.

"You wouldn't be if the Emperor were instead of those droids."

Luke knew his father was right. He gritted his teeth, feeling powerless.

"I am doing it the best I can."

Anger emerged from Vader unexpectedly.

"If you had fuelled the Dark Side of the Force instead of the Light Side, you wouldn't have to exert yourself nor the tenth part. You would radiate so much power that you would destroy these droids just with a mere thought."

Luke swallowed hard. He could feel his father's powerful darkness moved forward towards him and rounded him, stimulating his own darkness. He took a step backward and clenched his right fist, looking at his father without blinking.

"You know I'll never do that."

"Not even to destroy Palpatine? "His father tempted him. "Not even to free the galaxy from who has killed your friends, your uncle and aunt, who has taken away from you your family, your... mother?"

The young Jedi felt again out of oxygen before Vader's words. He tried to open his mouth to breathe and to ask what the hell was he saying, but thousands of emotions and visions prevented him, torturing him. His aunt and uncle dead, the farm burning into flames, the deaths of Obi-Wan, Biggs, Hobbie, Dack and so many... so many friends and mates. Leia's torture, Alderaan's disaster... Pain climbed from his entrails like a blazing dagger. More visions appeared; pictures from his more horrible and further nightmares. Among them it was an amazingly beautiful woman who barely caressed his cheek, whispering his name while was dying.

"No!"

Vader felt paralyzed at seeing just for a moment the vision which was torturing Luke. It lasted only a second, but he identified it immediately. It could not be true. His son...was keeping into the deepest place of his mind the vision of his mother, dying in childbirth. Luke fell to his knees, tortured by pain. Seeing him, the Dark Lord stepped forward towards him unconsciously. He cursed himself right afterward and stopped, clenching his fist forcefully. He knew that he could never stop feeling the boy's suffering as if it were his own, however Lord of the Sith he may be. And that thought made him worry severely. He had to find some way to avoid it in order to focus on his plans. There was no links or any kind of feelings in the Dark Side, but he also knew that it had never existed a Sith who had had a son. This was an unprecedented situation and he had to manage it very carefully. Vader stepped forward to his son again. He had to remove his son's pain, turning it into hate against the Emperor. Then Luke would not be able to avoid from falling into Darkness and together they could destroy that cursed rat once and for all.

"Luke, our priority must be to destroy Palpatine," he said, his voice as persuasive as gentle. "We cannot skimp on efforts to do that. The Dark Side is our best ally. If you give yourself to it, Palpatine won't have any option. You are stronger than you can ever imagine, but the weak side of the Force restrains your power. The Dark Side is very much powerful. If you had allowed yourself from feeling it, you would have known I'm right."

The young Jedi squeezed his eyes shut tight. His father's words alleviated inexplicably the torture he was suffering. It did not make sense. He knew Vader was using all his persuasion in order to break his will, even though he had promised he would train him without resorting to the Dark Side. A new source of pain arose at the thought that his father had no scruples about using him for his own purposes, that his father did not mind about he was thinking or feeling. No... No! He had to stop those thoughts. He had to take refuge in the weak and light flame he knew it still was into his father. Vader's words were treacherous, but not his actions. The softness which he was talking to him right now was a proof. Darth Vader had never talked to anyone in that way. He was trying to relieve his pain, in his strange way, but he was doing it. The young Jedi raised his head and stared at the nearby black mask.

"The Dark Side is not stronger. It's simpler, faster, more seductive," he pointed with absolute conviction.

Vader felt paralyzed.

"Who told you that?"

Luke held his gaze.

"Why do you ask what you already know?"

Vader felt a burst of anger at the memory of the old Jedi Master Yoda. So, it was him who had continued training Luke… He thought for a moment about finding out where the old Jedi Master was, but he rejected the idea. The only Jedi who interested him was in front of him.

"You shouldn't believe so blindly what Obi-Wan and Yoda have taught you."

"Why not?"

"They want to limit your power. They know that if you turn to the Dark Side anybody won't stop you. Not even them, and that does not suit their plans. For them, you are only an indispensable tool to destroy Palpatine… and me."

Luke swallowed. He knew his father was a master of manipulation, but however, he perceived some truth in his words.

"Anyway," the young Jedi shrugged his shoulders. "I am also a tool for you and your plans."

The Dark Lord stood motionless. It was the first time in galaxy's history that someone let speechless Darth Vader himself. He felt angry and proud at the same time. It was a weird mixture which invaded him more and more often in Luke's presence. The boy seemed totally recovered from his fears and doubts. The worst had passed away. Force's brightness flew around him and the boy stood up.

"I'll tell you one more time, father. I want to destroy Palpatine as much as you do, but if I need to turn to the Dark Side to do that, then you'd better kill me and search for another tool."

Vader looked at his son, perplexed. Darkness, which seemed to feed up from Luke's fears, had disappeared and, in its place, his Force's signature shone as always did, like a star. Vader cursed himself. Luke had a too high natural affinity with the Light. Any other padawan in his place would have given in to his fears, to his hate, seeing exposed himself to such a situation. But Luke had resisted even though Vader had done his best try until now to attract him to Darkness.

"Father, I will show to you that I don't need the Dark Side," affirmed Luke with certainly. "I will train until I achieve it. I swear. And I will help you to destroy Palpatine."

Luke's honest purpose totally caught Vader off guard. He felt even more perplexed to see that the boy was ready for another round of races around the hall. Luke breathed deeply, emptying his conscience from any doubt, and activated the four droids. He let the Force flow through him and he started running. The Dark Lord felt the change quickly. Luke's speed rose dizzily while he avoided the blaster shots. The power of the boy seemed to increase more and more at every lap, until it simply surrounded him like a shield, making that any shot would bounce. One of them hit directly one of the droids, blowing it up into a thousand pieces which fell at Vader's feet. The young Jedi stopped abruptly seeing that and looked at his father, a bit apprehensive.

"I'm sorry."

Vader shook his head.

"You still have three left." He said, dryly.

Luke smiled slightly and started running again.


	7. Chapter 7

The sun sank in Coruscant's metallic horizon, showing a picture as amazing as unreal. Luke raised his eyes to contemplate the sunset through the huge window. It came to mind the thousand of double sunsets he had gazed at in Tatooine. The memory surprised him, as always did. It was simply incredible that so many things had happened in such a short time. Only four years ago, he was an insignificant farmboy from a miserable, lost and desert planet. A teenager without past and future, slave of his labor and full of failed dreams. And now, here he was, sitting on a luxurious black leather chair, looking a privileged view of Coruscant, the very center of the galaxy.

The young Jedi shook his head, a laudable attempt to put aside his thoughts and turn back to concentrate. He looked down to the heavy book placed on the table and sighed for the umpteenth time. To tell the truth, at moments like this one, being a farmer was not a big deal for him. At least, in that case, he wouldn't have to study the history of galactic politics. It is true that, at first, he was intrigued to know thoroughly everything related to the Old Republic and the Clone Wars. All he knew about it was what Obi-Wan had told him in his old hut. He had searched the huge castle's library and on the Holonet for more information, but his interest decreased when he saw that all the written and holographic documents seemed to have erased that chapter in History. That book, like all the others, was only focused on the Senate and politics. There was merely a mention about the Jedi Knights and their function in the Old Republic. It was clear that Palpatine's censure covered everything.

Luke yawned one more time. He hated with all his soul the study hours. True, the training was exhausting, but frankly, he preferred it a thousand times before this. He lifted his eyes again, looking at the room, as he was looking for anything more pleasant to do. But remorse made him look down again, sighing. He tilted his head and stared at the book, without blinking. The heavy book started to go up...

"Could you tell what the hell are you doing?"

The young Jedi almost screamed, being suddenly very aware of his father's imposing presence, right behind him. The book fell down heavily on the table.

"How did you...?" Luke turned to look at the menacing black figure. "You scared me to death!"

"That doesn't answer my question."

Luke swallowed hard, looking at Vader.

"Ehm...I... Well, I..." He felt his father's gaze and he knew immediately that it was useless to come up with excuses." It is impossible to study such a... junk and I was trying to distract myself with... something." The young Jedi finished, dropping his shoulders with a gesture of defeat.

Vader continued to stare at Luke.

"I know I have to fulfill my schedule, but three hours of study of politics and Senate are... a torture. I don't mind training, or even meditating. Yes, even meditation is more interesting than learning about life and work of politicians from latest twenty years. Who the hell cares if Palpatine was a senator from Naboo before proclaiming himself emperor? If I have to study his life, I'd rather prefer you hand me over to him so he can kill me once and for all."

Of course, it was a joke, but for some reason, it was not funny for Vader in any way. And Luke perceived it. He felt the sudden outbreak of rage from his father immediately and he hurried to add.

"I'm sorry."

Vader looked at his son while the boy turned back to the tedious reading, resignedly. The Dark Lord tried to keep his anger untouched, but it was useless. His rage towards Luke always evaporated with too much easiness, and even though this infuriated him enormously, he could do nothing to prevent it. The boy had been living in Coruscant for only two months and, in that short time, he had already gained a place in the heart of his castle's staff. Vader had threatened every assistant, cleaning staff, cooks, and butlers with terrible consequences if he noticed any familiarity with the boy. He was a prisoner, not a guest, even though he enjoyed a relative freedom within the perimeter of the castle. But his threats had not worked at all. It is true that he had never witnessed any public show of affection towards the young Jedi, but it was clear that it existed. Luke had a natural charm. He was too much polite to everyone and he didn't distinguish between servants and masters. Vader would never forget that time when the boy had thanked an assistant simply for doing his job and cleaning his room. The assistant had remained paralyzed, not only by Luke's unexpected gratitude but also because Vader had just witnessed the scene. The poor and frightened man thought already feel the ruthless claws of the Dark Lord in his throat, and he would be right. That is exactly what would have happened if Luke's quiet plea had not prevented it.

Vader cursed in silence while still was observing his son. He had no reasons for getting angry with him, of course. Luke had done an excellent job since his arrival. The boy was fulfilling his training with iron discipline and he was never complaining about anything, no matter how hard it was. He never gave up. He always seemed to find enough strength to overcome every mistake. To tell the truth, he had not expected less from him and maybe that was the reason why he never praised his signs of progress. But it was clear that the boy deserved those praises. His power grew increasingly if that was possible. Luke had insisted on proving him that the Light Side of the Force was more powerful than the Dark Side and Vader had to admit that this maybe could be true... but only on this boy. Luke's affinity with the Force was simply extraordinary. It was incredible that there was no Jedi or Sith who could match the potential of a twenty-four-year-old boy. Not even Yoda... or Palpatine. Only Anakin Skywalker could keep up with him.

The weak flame of Anakin made appear Dark Lord's anger. Almost instantly, Vader smashed up the light with his Darkness. Then, he turned his attention to Luke.

"I hate politics and his history, too."

The deep baritone voice absorbed all of Luke's attention. The boy turned to look at him, surprised. Vader barely shook his head.

"I suppose that it's enough for today. You can have a break."

Luke jumped up as if the chair were burning him, while an enthusiastic smile lightened his face. Vader shook his head, although deep inside he was trying to hide a slight smile at the boy's reaction. He started to leave without saying another word when the boy's voice stopped him.

"Thank you, father."

Again the maddening kindness and gratitude... Vader barely snorted. If Luke turned to the Dark Side he would be the most courteous Sith in history, he thought, with a mixture of anger and black humor.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to offend you by thanking you."

Vader stared at Luke, perplexed. He approached him relentlessly. Luke stepped back without being aware at the same second, but the Dark Lord raised his hand. He took the boy's chin and forced him to look at him. Luke held his breath unconsciously.

"Impressive... " Vader said with a sinister softness. "How have you managed to read my mind?"

Luke blinked, confused.

"I... I don't know... Have I done it?"

"Indeed."

Vader held with firmness the young Jedi's chin. He assaulted his son's mind with his darkness and he could feel the shield of Luke, really strong and brilliant. Vader pushed it down stronger to destroy it, but this time he felt his son's mind shield was incredibly strong. The Dark Lord unleashed his dark power with no restraints and Luke gasped, feeling it. Vader was testing him and this time he knew he would not stop like he had done on some previous occasions. The young Jedi gritted his teeth and called the light to dissolve the black darkness which was trapping him. He emptied his mind from fear and the warm Force's flame removed his concerns, caressing him and protecting him. Vader felt it too. Darkness seemed to diminish before the soft and powerful light which linked him to Luke almost instantly. The father-son link grew stronger than ever. Finally, Vader withdrew from the boy's mind.

"You are improving very much, young one."

Luke blinked without understanding.

"What... happened?"

"You have just resisted quite well mind's invasion," Vader informed him.

"I don't mean that," Luke shook his head. "I mean... Why do I feel more attached to you? It's like I could feel what you feel. Well, it's not that I couldn't feel before, but now it's too much... intense."

Vader glared at the young Jedi.

"The reason is the father-son link we share in the Force. A connection due to our family relationship. It has always existed, but grows stronger as time goes by, especially if we are not separate."

"Do you mean...that if I have grown up at your side, the link would have been much more powerful?"

The picture of a little Luke with huge blue eyes and messy blond hair crossed Vader's mind. The Dark Lord sunk that vision into the deepest part of his black soul.

"Indeed."

An uncomfortable silence settled between them.

"That means that... if I have grown up at your side, I would have been a loved son?"

Vader's eyes burned on him. The boy barely lowered his head.

"It's just that I always thought that... Well, that, as my uncle and aunt were the ones who raised me..."

The Dark Lord took again the boy's chin and forced him to look up.

"Luke."

The young Jedi finally raised his blue gaze, fighting to eliminate the traitor trace of tears which made his eyes shine like lightsabers. Vader felt anger and disbelief in equal parts.

"If I had known you were alive, nothing nor anyone in the whole galaxy would have prevented me from claiming you."

"You thought I was... dead?"

"Your mother died in childbirth." Vader gritted his teeth, trying to bury the memory. "I thought you had not survived either."

His mother's mention touched Luke's heart, but he could feel the deep conflict within Vader and decided not to investigate that subject, at least for now.

"I thought my father was dead," Luke said. "My uncle told me he was a navigator on a spice freighter and he was dead before I was born… And then Ben told me you've killed my father and…"

Luke's pain seemed to pierce through Vader. The iron hand, which held his chin, settled on the boy's shoulder with incredible softness.

"Lies." Vader spat out, angrily. "Dirty lies to keep you far from me."

The boy shook his head.

"They didn't do it with bad intentions. They only wanted to protect me."

Vader squeezed the hand which was holding Luke's shoulder, full of fury. There it was, the endless boy's naivety, always ready to find unreal goodness in the others. So similar to… Padmé.

"Protect you? From me? They rather wanted to use you as a tool against me, fueling your hate so you could destroy me. And what better way than convincing you that I killed your father." Vader shook his head. "And… This is the Jedi's style? It's a plan so evilly twisted as Sith's."

"Obi-Wan only wanted to prevent me from following your path," Luke justified his first master.

The Dark Lord felt his anger growing up at seeing his son exonerating Obi-Wan. The boy barely gasped before the pressure that the huge gloved hand was putting on his shoulder. Vader noticed it and loosened his hold.

"You shouldn't defend Obi-Wan so blindly," He said, fiercely.

The boy sighed, sadly.

"That doesn't matter now. Anyway, I would never be able to kill my own father."

That convincing statement made Vader's breath irregular for a moment. Father and son looked at each other, not knowing what to say. Chaotic feelings circled them, again. The Dark Lord released Luke and clenched his fist. He MUST not allow that those feelings could dominate him, but the knowledge that Luke was loyal to him… It was absolutely intoxicating. The boy had just admitted that he could not destroy him, not because he was not powerful enough, but because he LOVED him. Yes, it was absolutely ridiculous, but Luke felt filial love for Vader, nothing less. A major weakness. Vader smiled behind his mask. Love was the greatest weakness. The one that Anakin had felt for Padmé had caused his old self's fall. And the one which Luke felt for his father would do the same. Luke would fall to the Dark Side. He had just found the chance he needed for that.

"I really appreciate your loyalty, "Vader said, hiding masterfully his treacherous thoughts. "I promise you it will be rewarded… in due time."

The boy answered him with a naïve smile, which reflected on Vader's face but in a much more sinister way. The Dark Lord enjoyed in advance his triumph, ignoring the weak flame which trembled within him.


	8. Chapter 8

Darth Vader smiled behind his mask. The deadly scarlet blade went down in a second and approached Luke dangerously, close enough to reflect his brightness in the boy's icy blue eyes. The young Jedi let the Force guide his movements and his lightsaber blocked Vader's blow, causing thousand of sparkling lights. Luke stepped backward to balance himself and avoided the series of Vader's blows, who was fighting back non-stop, increasing the speed progressively. The boy had no difficulty in keeping the rhythm, even though he sometimes felt that, after certain movements, there was a kind of emptiness which made him feel helpless. But, fortunately, the Force was warning him almost immediately, right after every thrust, whispering the next motion. Darth Vader was a superb lightsaber duelist; from his point of view, the best of the galaxy. His knowledge of the Djem So, aka Form V, was unbeatable. The Dark Lord wielded the lightsaber like more than an extension of his arm… It was an extension of his dark mind. Even though he was doing it not too badly, Luke could not help but think that he was light years away from being a worthy rival for his father. He wondered if Palpatine was even better…

"Stop distracting yourself with your thoughts," Vader told him off, forcing him to jump to avoid a treacherous attack directed at his legs. "Forget Palpatine. Focus your attention on what you are doing now. The past and the future don't exist, only the present."

Luke gritted his teeth and tried to obey. He fought against his thoughts until they silenced totally and he gave himself to the Force. He wanted to feel it like never before. In his impatience for increasing his power, Luke called the light with desperation and demand. Suddenly, the same Light seemed to whisper him that that was not the right way. The Force shone inside him without effort and that would always be so. He had no more to do than letting it flow through him and trust it. Without doubts. Without concerns. He had to trust and erase the thought that if he could be able or not to beat a stronger rival. Vader had told him on some occasions that he was really powerful, much more than he could even imagine. More than the Emperor. Deep inside, Luke could hardly believe it, but he could feel the truth in his father's words. Perhaps it was about time to have faith in that possibility, as ridiculous as it might be. "No, do not think it's ridiculous," The boy closed his eyes tightly and, finally, his doubts disappeared.

The Dark Lord smiled again. Luke's power seemed a nova in that moment. The duel intensified and Vader could check that the boy carried out perfectly and without effort some motions he had executed before. He was learning fiendishly fast. The boy's brightness dissolved his own darkness with an overwhelming assurance. The Dark Side roared menacingly, but for the first time, the Light did not seem to be the weak one. He had never witnessed such power. The speed at which both moved, fighting and dodging mutually, was supernatural. The Dark Lord knew that was very dangerous. It was not a simple training anymore. It was a real combat and the possibilities that either of them ended up injured or dead were raising at every second. He had to end this now. But fighting against someone like Luke was so… stimulating. Vader had never felt as alive as he was in those moments. The Force in all its plenitude seemed to heal his wounds and he was enjoying it like never before. The duel intensified even more. Just a little more…

Suddenly, an extremely fast blow of Luke's blade crashed against Vader's with amazing violence. The boy's lightsaber bounced treacherously after the crash. Vader's breathing paralyzed inside his chest at seeing his old blue blade approached Luke's throat. He acted without thinking and hit again the blade in the opposite direction, just right before Luke's eyes. It was not a great idea, of course. The sky blue blade turned and fell down in his left shoulder, piercing his armor. Vader stifled a groan when he felt the burning blade cutting the already scarred skin.

"Father!"

Luke used the Force to push away the blade, taking her from Vader's shoulder immediately. The lightsaber shot out and fell down several meters away, already deactivated. The young Jedi ran to his father, who had fallen on a knee, trying to soothe the pain.

"Are you OK?"

Vader was motionless. Luke rested his hand on his shoulder carefully, avoiding touching the wound. The Dark Lord seemed to tremble before the soft touch. He lifted his head to look at his son, who was watching him anxiously. The pain disappeared, and perplexity took its place. Luke was worried about… him?

"It's nothing," replied Vader, standing up.

"Nothing? That should be checked by a doctor."

Vader repressed a growl of impatience. He reached out and his old lightsaber flew up to his hand.

"I'm perfectly fine. It was only a scratch."

"A… what?"

"Compared to other wounds, of course, it is. It's enough for today," settled Vader, cutting his son off and returning him the lightsaber.

Luke swallowed hard before the meaning of his father's words. The young Jedi took the lightsaber from Vader's hand and hung it off his belt.

"I'm sorry. It was my fault. I shouldn't…"

"Nonsense. That possibility could happen sooner or later. I think that both of us were getting more and more excited and the training turned into a real combat. I am the sole responsible. I should have stopped this before."

The boy blinked and shook his head.

"Anyway, I'm sorry. You got injured to prevent the lightsaber from hitting me," he concluded, looking at his father with a mixture of admiration and sorrow.

Vader started to feel really uncomfortable. He could not deny that the boy was right. Every time he felt that Luke was in danger, something stronger than him forced him to protect the boy. Luke felt immediately that discomfort.

"Calm down, I know you only do that because you are interested in protecting my life… for the moment. Don't worry. Your reputation of being the most frightening Sith Lord still remains untouchable."

Luke's bitter irony seemed to hit Vader. He stared at his son. He could feel his deep bitterness. The young Jedi barely bowed as a sign of farewell and started to walk away. Vader clenched his fist. Why Luke had to be… like this? He was as damned powerful as sentimental. His kind heart seemed to be full of wounds and deceptions and, even so, it never let to radiate that pure light. He was so much like Padmé… The amazingly beautiful face materialized again into his mind, torturing him. He could see her as clearly as she was right in front of him, with that smile which lighted up the whole galaxy. She… she would be so pride of Luke! She would adore him, literally. A slight memory fluttered inside him…

"I'm sure. It's a boy," she caressed lovingly her swollen belly. "A precious boy as handsome as his father…"

"No, it's a girl for sure. As bossy and beautiful as his mother."

Vader suppressed a painful groan which seemed burn into his ruined lungs. It did not matter that he was on the Dark Side. He knew he could never destroy the memory of Padmé and that caused him a terrible suffering. He squeezed his eyes tightly, trying to calm down the pain. She was still smiling at him in his mind, caressing him…

"Father..."

Vader opened the eyes a bit surprised. Luke was a few steps away, looking at him.

"Are you OK?"

Again that sincere concern. That warmth.

"Why do you care about it?"

"Because you're my father."

"That is no justification."

"It is to me."

And again that damned stubbornness. Vader's anger disappeared little by little. Having an argument was useless and, right now, he did not feel like it at all. For the first time, rage did not appear. He simply looked at his son and wondered for the umpteenth time how was possible that such light had born from his darkness. He did not want to fall to that powerful feeling which linked him to the boy. That feeling he did not even dare to name. He did not WANT. But fighting against it was more and more difficult. He could not even get angry at the thought of his helplessness. He knew that Luke was gaining power over him day by day and that was a very concerning thought. But he also knew that Luke would never betray him.

"I'm fine," he said, finally.

Luke sighed in relief. Suddenly, he felt a little embarrassed. What the hell it is supposed that he had to say now? He had expected that Vader answered him furiously, as usual. Seeing that it was quite the opposite, Luke had no idea of what to do. Vader seemed to notice it.

"Your training has finished for today. You can dispose of your free time as you wish."

Luke nodded. Suddenly, an idea came to his mind.

"Well, the truth is… I don't have anything important to do right now, so…" he looked at his father carefully. "We can use the time and you maybe can show me your ships' collection… If it isn't too much trouble."

Vader looked at Luke again. The boy was showing his best face of "butter wouldn't melt in my mouth". The Dark Lord had to make a real effort to contain a smile.

"Fine. I suppose that it is a good moment to do that."

Luke smiled full of enthusiasm and, without a word, he went out the door impatiently. Vader followed him; this time he couldn't suppress the smile.


	9. Chapter 9

Luke's jaw dropped completely as soon as the large hangar's door opened before them. The Dark Lord was very aware of his reaction and he did not repress a smile, seeing the boy's face while coming into the huge place. Dozens of ships of all kinds were perfectly aligned in their resting areas, on either side of the gigantic central hallway. They shone under the light of the powerful floodlights placed on the walls and ceiling, while droids and cranes swarming around them. All of them were spotless and impeccable. The young Jedi tried to maintain his composure, but such a view made it impossible. He felt a tingle of pure delight which prevented him from closing his mouth and eyes. Not even in his more amazing dreams could he have imagined this. All his favorite ships of his childhood seemed to be there: skyhooks, shuttles, fighters and even an elegant YT-2400 light freighter. He smiled remembering the Millenium Falcon. That freighter was much slimmer and more refined and he was sure that probably it was as fast as the same Falcon. His smile widened at the thought of Han's face considering such an idea.

Luke walked amazed among the ships, looking, admiring and assessing all he was seeing. A droid was working feverishly on one of the ships' engine. The youth bent down next its side and became absorbed, observing the mess of tools and circuits. Vader approached slowly. He could feel the boy's huge concentration as if he was light years away from there. Luminous tendrils of the Force radiated from him and surrounded the ship, examining it and testing every piece. The boy started to work on the engine, disassembling several components while the incredulous astromech droid beeped almost angrily. But Luke did not even listen to it. His hands continued to disassemble pieces and, after some minutes, he returned to place all them in its place, with absolute accuracy, with a perfect order. Vader's breath seemed to turn heavier. For a moment, the Dark Lord had a so clear vision of himself that he felt almost dizzy. He furiously threw the memory out of his mind. Suddenly, the engine started with a powerful roar. The sound seemed to awaken both father and son from their respective trances and it brought them back to reality.

"I'm sorry," Luke smiled a bit embarrassed. "I cannot help it. I love repairing things, gadgets, ships... especially if they are so superb."

"I see you have a gift to do that, too. Not everybody knows how to use the Force to locate the mechanical failure."

Luke grinned.

"I've got it from you, haven't I?"

"Yes, you have,"

The boy swallowed hard. Vader could not help but smile.

"If you knew how much you take after me, you would be terrified," added the Dark Lord with his genuine black humor.

"I don't take after you at all," replied Luke. "I don't enjoy terrorizing people and then mocking about it," he said feeling between frightened and annoyed.

Vader had to repress the laugh. All right, yes, he admitted it. Frightening that boy was becoming a hobby quite funny. He shook his head.

"If it's any consolation to you, the fact that you are more fearful than a squirrel makes you quite different from me."

The boy looked at him angrily.

"I am not... fearful!"

Vader repressed another smile. Without warning, he approached his son, bending down to his height and remaining only a few inches away. Luke swallowed hard, as always did, seeing himself reflected on the shining black mask, but he kept a stiff upper lip with all his pride. He did not blink. This time, Vader could not avoid a soft and deep laugh. The young Jedi forgot his fear. He could never have imagined that Darth Vader could... LAUGH. Okay, yes, he was laughing at him but... He was laughing! Luke knew his father smiled behind his mask from time to time... in a sinister way, of course. But he had never shown it like now. And that sound... Not in a thousand of years would have he imagined that Vader could emit that sound. It was a soft laugh, without a trace of evil. He tried to hide his surprise the best he could. He knew that the rare non-evil signs of his father only served to make him angry... when he was aware of them. Vader stood up again.

"Very well, young one. Do you fancy a ride?"

Luke's jaw dropped again. He stared at him astonished.

"On... a ship?"

Vader glared at him.

"Would you prefer a bike?" he mocked.

"No, it's just that... You mean...? Oh, yeah, of course, it would be... great!"

The Dark Lord shook his head and then he made a gesture with his gloved hand.

"Choose one."

Luke stared, again in ecstasy, at the row of ships. It was as if a child was being asked to pick something at a candy store. His eyes laid again on the Corellian freighter.

"That one."

Vader snarled.

"I think you've spent too much time with your smuggler friend. But still, I must say that it's a good decision. Have you ever flown a similar ship?"

The boy smiled.

"If you mean if I have ever piloted the Falcon, the answer is no. Nobody can as long as Han Solo is alive."

"Well, now, you have the choice. All Corellian freighters are handled in a similar way."

The boy opened his eyes fully.

"Really? Can I... fly it?"

As soon as Vader nodded, Luke dashed toward the access ramp like a bat out of hell. The Dark Lord followed him, shaking his head. When he arrived at the cockpit, the boy was already sitting on the pilot's seat and his hands danced over the controls. Vader sat down in the co-pilot seat. The engines soon began to roar.

"Flight of priority number 1187 taking off," Vader spoke by the communicator monitor. "Open the controls."

"Right away, Lord Vader," answered a voice on the other side.

Luke pushed up the control lever and the freighter rose gracefully, raging through the ceiling which had opened seconds before. They flew through the Coruscant's sky, avoiding thousand of transports and ships. Vader could not help but share Luke's enthusiasm, who was flying as if there were no tomorrow, surrendering to the Force, moving the controls full of delight, feeling each ship, each soul from the thousand of living beings which were living in the Imperial Center. They flew over the dense atmosphere and drifted away at sublight speed until they could see the planet's roundness, gleaming like a metallic jewel and floating in the blackness of space. The young Jedi handled the controls until he placed the ship in an orbital position and the freighter remained gracefully suspended. He looked at the beautiful view.

"Thank you for this," Luke said, without stopping looking at the planet placed before them.

Vader stared at his son silently. He cursed for the umpteenth time the red filter of his lenses, which prevented him from having a normal vision. Even so, he could still see Luke's soft profile, his eyes pure and bright.

"How many people do they live there?"

That question surprised Vader. The Dark Lord shook his head.

"About one billion people." He answered.

"How is it possible that all of them agree with the Empire and surrender to it?"

That surprised Vader even more. He stared at his son.

"They don't," the Dark Lord assured. "Just in Coruscant, there are millions of beings from thousand of species who would be ready to destroy Palpatine and the Empire right now."

"And why do not they do it?"

"Because of fear."

This time Luke turned his gaze to stare at his father.

"One billion people fear one person?"

"He is not a normal person. We are talking about Palpatine, or Darth Sidious if you like it. The most powerful Sith of all."

"More powerful than you?"

Vader gritted his teeth. He hated to admit that. The young Jedi shook his head.

"That couldn't be true. I don't believe it."

That incredible statement caused Vader looked at his son with both perplexed and proud.

"You said yourself that your potential is more than Palpatine's," continued Luke. "That your potential and mine are similar."

"That was... before losing part of my body."

Luke glared at him astonished.

"Wh..What do you mean?"

Vader did not want to tell him that part of his history. It was a memory which kept buried in the deepest part of his black soul. But seeing the boy's face, words flowed unconsciously.

"The power of the Force feed up on our own cells, on our own life," he explained. "My power was similar to yours, it's true. But I had an accident and I lost my legs, arms and almost my lungs." Vader's breath seemed to become ominous. "Since then, my power has not been what it once was."

The Luke's surprised face transmitted pure horror.

"An... accident? What kind of accident?"

"I'm not going to tell about it now. The point is that this is the reason because Palpatine's strength is bigger than mine. If not, I wouldn't need you to destroy him."

Luke tried to put in order the mess of feelings which started to spin into his mind. He really wished to know more about what had happened to his father, since that history which sounded so horrible was too much similar to his worst nightmares. But he felt his father was not ready for telling nothing more. On the other hand, he needed to ask him what he would do if they succeeded in destroying Palpatine. He could not contain himself.

"And when that happens, what will you do? Will you take Palpatine's place?" He said, expressing out loud his fearful thoughts.

Vader looked at his son.

"The galaxy needs someone powerful to rule it. As I tell you before, we can do it together."

The boy shook his head.

"The galaxy needs to choose its own destiny by itself. Any person, any living being has the right to choose what is good for him or her."

At this precise moment, Vader seemed to see Padmé in his son's face. The same conversation, which had taken place a long time ago, came to his mind and shook his soul. He asked the same question as he did on that occasion.

"And what if they choose what is not good for him or her?"

Luke looked at him intensely.

"They also are the right to make mistakes and correct them themselves. If a government doesn't work, then it should be changed. But no one must proclaim himself as a judge or supreme ruler. That is a type of slavery, and perhaps the worse one because it disguises itself as something good for people."

Vader returned his glare with equal intensity.

"You seem to know slavery very well..."

"I grew up in Tatooine. I've had slave friends. If I ruled truly the galaxy, I would eliminate all kind of slavery. And the first thing I would do would be resigning my position of supreme ruler."

The Dark Lord felt a tingle of astonishment at Luke's words. How could he be... like this? He was barely a man, a too young man, a boy, and he spoke with such a conviction as he had never heard before. Luke had such a demanding sense of justice that he would not allow a reply. He did not seem to know ambition or thirst for power. And that was extraordinary, considering that the Force shone in him like a supernova. Vader tried to refute his arguments, but he could not find anything solid enough.

"People are weak, Luke. If nothing prevents it, they fell into chaos and into his depraved desires. Not everyone is like you. If that was the case, it wouldn't be necessary an authoritarian government. But that's not the case at all."

"What it is needed is justice, not an authoritarian government. Everything can be easily solved if there is justice." Luke replied.

"Justice is a utopia, son; as much as thinking that people will do the correct based only on the faith on their goodness."

"No, it isn't," Luke replied again, with that unmistakable Skywalker's stubbornness. "Justice can and must be a reality."

Vader smiled bitterly behind his mask.

"You're young and idealistic, Luke. You think that by believing firmly in your convictions, they will come true. Life will teach you cruelly if you keep thinking like this."

The boy shrugged.

"It's possible, but that will not make me change my mind."

Father and son remained silent for a moment as if the conversation had reached a too much deep level and they had more to think about than to say. Vader could not help but feel surprised. Luke took after him physically and they shared a lot of skills, too. But his personality and thinking were identical to Padmé's. The boy shook his head and looked at his silent father.

"I didn't mean to offend you, but I had to say what I think. Sorry for not being the son you were expecting," he concluded, trying not to look too hurt.

Certainly, Vader would never have expected to have a child like him. In neither sense. The Dark Lord laid a hand on the young man's shoulder.

"Surprises are always preferable to monotony," Vader said softly. "It's time to return."

Luke shuddered, feeling the huge gloved hand, but for the first time, it was not a shudder of fear. He felt some kind of warmth he had never felt before. Vader had just insinuated that having him as a son was not so bad. He knew that deep inside his black soul, Vader had a real interest in him; that even though he tried to hide it with all his strength, he was proud of his son. The Force told him, but hearing it from Vader's mouth was overwhelming. The link between them seemed to grow stronger as ever, and Luke did not even need to talk.

 _"Yes, father,"_

The freighter descended through the sunset sky until it plunged into the metallic skin of Coruscant.


	10. Chapter 10

Darth Vader was motionless into his meditation chamber. It was nearly midnight and, even though Coruscant never slept, the surroundings of his palace were calm. Almost all of his staff had retired to their homes and only his most loyal troopers remained vigilant in a silent sleepless night. The Dark Lord sat down on his most private room and used the Force to remove that cursed mask. Even though the atmosphere was carefully aseptic and oxygenated, Vader always felt a stabbing pain when he was exposed to outside. Well, it was not that this cursed pain left him anytime, but without the mask, he always felt that the air ran through his lungs like daggers. He focused on the Dark Side to reduce the pain, breathing carefully. His power was enormous and, however, he had not figure out yet how to use it to heal his awful wounds. He had them twenty-four years ago. Why did they never heal? Why was there no remedy to alleviate them? The pain lowered some days, but never disappeared. He leaned back, exhausted. That was not one of these days. He did not know exactly why the pain was particularly annoying that night. Well, it had been an intense day, that was true, but it was not so easy for him to get tired, despite his ruined body. He clenched his fist unconsciously. He had always hated feeling vulnerable. He fought against his own pain, as always did, feeding up his hate towards all the guilty ones of his current situation: the Jedi and Palpatine. But the pain seemed to get worse. Vader gritted his teeth. Deep down, he knew that the Dark Side was not the most useful thing for his wounds. He had the feeling that it was what kept them open. But he could not allow himself from avoiding it...

He closed his eyes softly, emptying his mind from all thought. Little by little, the pain lowered. He relaxed and the only thing he focused on was the Force, flowing around him, through him and through each living being located until several kilometers around. They looked like small specks of light. Among them, the most intense light of all was shining a few tens of meters away. A supernova with an immaculate brightness. Luke's signature flooded everything. The boy was already able to hide his presence without any effort when he was conscious, but not when he was sleeping, like right now. Well, he would not need too much time to achieve that skill. That boy was brilliant in every sense of the word. If he continued to learn at that speed, he would soon cease to be a naïve padawan and become the most powerful Jedi in the galaxy.

Vader sighed. That was a really serious problem. Luke could not... must not become a Jedi simply because he hated to death all of them. It was no longer even a matter of preferring the Dark Side to the Light Side. The matter was that the Jedi had been largely responsible for his tragedy. Because of them, he had to marry Padmé in secret, as if he was committing a crime. Because of them, he could not save his mother. The Jedi never considered him one of them. He had always felt a kind of reject towards him in the Jedi Temple when he was barely a padawan. A mixture of reject, fear, and envy. Vader shook his head furiously. Luke could not be one of them, period. He had to fall to the Dark Side once and for all.

"As if it were so easy..." Vader thought. He sighed again, full of frustration. He knew he had to force things; it was no more time to waste. Luke had to give up. Until now, Vader had tried subtle attempts to break his will, but the boy was indeed very strong. He did not want to force him, but he was beginning to see that he had no choice. He felt a twinge of guilt. He had promised the boy he would not train him in the path of the Dark Side... Vader shook his head fiercely. No, that was over. That game had lasted too long. Luke would fall into de Dark Side. He would force him. If he had to push him over the edge, he would. Tomorrow the lightsaber training would not be that. It would be a fight to the death. He knew the boy had improved too much, but he was not able to defeat him yet. Luke had better fall into Darkness if he wanted to stay alive. Vader clenched his fist harder. His son had told him more than once that he would prefer to die than surrender to the Dark Side, and Vader knew he told the truth. He sighed. It would be a lamentable waste...

Suddenly, an endless suffering resounded like a huge explosion and ripped away Vader's breath. He felt such pain that the Force itself seemed to scream.

"Luke..."

Vader stood up immediately. That stabbing pain came from his son. He felt it so intensely and clearly that he could touch it. He released his power at one second to find if the boy was in real danger. Nobody was in his room, so the threat seemed to be imaginary. He tried to touch his son's mind, but the boy screamed with pain. The Dark Lord barely had time to put on his mask and opened the chamber. He rushed through the hallway full speed, even though the cursed black suit was not the most useful to do that. He entered Luke's room. The boy was writhing as if he was being tortured and all the sheets and blankets lay on the floor in a mess. Vader swallowed hard. It was clear that nightmares were a Skywalker curse. He approached the bed and sat down on the edge.

"Luke, wake up..."

But the boy did not react and continued to struggle, gasping in pain. Vader tried to hold his shoulder softly to wake him up, but the young Jedi released from his grip and groaned.

"No! No!," the boy screamed trapped in the awful dream.

"Calm down, Luke, it's just a nightmare."

Vader started to get really worried. His son seemed to be literally trapped in his dreams. He released his power again and touched Luke's mind to wake him up. Suddenly, he had a horrible vision of the boy's dream. They were on a planet full of lava. Luke was shouting, crying bitterly while a figure wrapped in flames howled inhumanly. Vader gasped. Luke was having the vision of that fateful day when his body became a wounded mass. And he was seeing it in a way so real as if he was right there again. The Dark Lord withdrew automatically from the boy's mind. Luke started to weep painfully.

"Father! Father! Noooooooo!"

Luke's pain stabbed Vader in such way that he could not stand it. Vader gripped the boy by his arms, fiercely, and shook him.

"Luke, it's a nightmare. It's not real. Wake up!"

This time it worked. The young Jedi opened his reddened eyes. He looked for a moment at the black mask right before him, terrorized, but after few seconds, the horror was replaced by suffering again. Luke broke down into his father's chest, crying in pure pain, clinging to Vader as if he was his last resort. The Dark Lord froze as he felt Luke's arms around him. He could not even move. He could not even remember when he had had human contact for the last time. His black darkness seemed to fade, feeling that pure light embracing him. For a moment, he considered releasing and rushing away like a bat out of hell. But his son's pain drilled his suit and embedded into his deepest part of his soul, paralyzing him. Why was he crying that way? Could it be possible that he had such pain only for having witnessed Anakin's pain when he became Darth Vader? How could he care so much? Luke's heartbreaking sobs continued nonstop. His voice was already almost inaudible and his strength was abandoning him. His arms faltered down, exhausted, and he would have fallen down the floor if Vader had not prevented it. Without thinking, the Dark Lord held his son, raising him up. Vader shuddered when he felt his son almost on his lap and he was surprised to check his light weight. Luke seemed to regain consciousness. His bright blue eyes, still pierced by pain, focused on the black mask.

"Father...," he said with a faint voice.- "You're... here. You're not dead..."

"It is not so easy to kill me," the Dark Lord said, trying controlling the chaotic feelings which flooded him. He fought to keep his composure and started to move away but Luke clung to him again by reflex.

"No! Don't leave me!"

"Luke, it was just a nightmare. It's not real."

"Yes, it is, it was! Don't leave me!"

Feelings defeated Vader for the first time in twenty-four years. To the hell everything and everyone! The durasteel arms rounded Luke in an embrace that had not repeated in a whole lifetime. He pressed his son to his chest, with an unbelievable tenderness. Luke clung to Vader, crying again, but this time for a reason totally different. He could feel his father's love like a Force's explosion. And that was something he had never felt before and made him die of happiness. He pressed harder against him, even though the durasteel which covered his father's chest was hurting his head. But he ignored it. At this moment, nothing existed for either of them; neither Palpatine, nor the Rebel Alliance, nor the Dark Side, nor the Jedi or anything. All that it mattered was that embrace. The Force flowed between them, making the moment even more emotional. Vader felt how the tears were starting to accumulate in his eyes. The little light of Anakin Skywalker against which he had fought so hard to destroy it over the years, reached in a moment the intensity that it had always had. His old self returned with an overwhelming strength. Vader knew that, right now, his eyes were not yellow. And he also knew that he was not Vader anymore, but he wasn't Anakin either. At least, he was not the old Anakin. Luke perceived the change immediately. He moved barely away from his father to look at him.

"You're okay?"

"It's me who should ask you that."

Vader-Anakin shook his head. Yes, only five minutes before he had the strongest conviction to force Luke to fall into the Dark Side and nothing could stop him. He had been willing to go to the end, even if that end meant killing the boy. Good thing that his conviction was strong...! He had been a fool. While he was looking at Luke's surprised face, he started to admit the truth, the truth that he had always known: he could never turn that pure being into an abyss of evil. Never. There was nothing more valuable for him in the whole galaxy than his son's life. He was what remained of Padmé. Her only legacy.

"Sure you're okay?"

And on top of that, he cared about him. Anakin shook his head. What the hell had he done in other life to deserve this son? The huge gloved hand caressed the messy blond hair and wiped the last tears from the boy's cheeks.

"I've never felt better before," he answered softly. New tears accumulated in Luke's eyes.

"I no longer feel... the Darkness in you."

"It's difficult keeping the Darkness when a star hugs you. Much less when that star is your own son."

Another tear fell down Luke's cheek. The boy lowered his head.

"What are we supposed to do now?"

Anakin shook his head.

"Well, when Palpatine arrives, we will tell him that there has been a slight change of plans. That I tried to attract you to the Dark Side but it didn't work as I had planned and I fell again into the Light Side instead."

Luke looked at his father without blinking, perplexed. Anakin could not help but laugh softly. That sound was even weirder because it came from the menacing black mask. The gloved hand gave him a gentle push.

"What you're going to do now is sleep," said Anakin finally. "I think it has had enough emotions for one night."

"But..."

"Luke, tomorrow will be another day. We can do nothing right now."

The young Jedi looked at his father, still worried.

"Sure you're okay? I'm not an expert, but I have the feeling that turning from one to another side of the Force has to have... some kind of side effects."

"If it makes you feel better, I feel nothing in particular, although the pain... seems to have decreased."

"What pain?"

"What I've felt since..." Anakin interrupted himself, seeing the panic on Luke's face. "I think you know what I mean."

Both remained silent. Luke felt too many contradictory things at that moment: concern, fear, insecurity, hope, joy... He could not help but struggle between worry and happiness; happiness because he had recovered his father. Worry because Palpatine would soon find out that something had changed forever. And it was not a little change. He knew that if he himself had felt his father's change, the Emperor would do as soon as he approached Coruscant. And there was less and less time for that inevitable meeting... Anakin smiled softly behind his mask, feeling all his son's worries. He got up and placed a comforting hand on the boy's shoulder.

"Get some rest. We'll talk more calmly tomorrow."

Luke nodded and lay down on the bed again. His father smiled at him again. Despite the mask, he could feel that smile.

"Good night, father."

"Good night, my son."


	11. Chapter 11

Palpatine raised his terrifying yellow eyes to the vast space vacuum which appeared on the bridge of his super destroyer. The time had come. The Darkness whispered to him silent, meaningful words. The Force was warning him what he had always known: Vader, his faithful dog, had turned against him. Well, to tell the truth, that was not surprising at all. From the same moment in which Anakin Skywalker had fallen to the Dark Side, he knew that his transformation into Darth Vader could never be complete. The reason was simple. His essence, his soul would never stop harboring that nauseating weakness: love. His love for Padmé had pushed him to the Darkness and that was a complete contradiction. Pure Darkness was only feeding by pure evil. Love could never achieve full power.

Palpatine shook his head. Anakin was the most powerful product of the very Force itself. No one had had more potential than him. He had been created as an ambitious experiment and also as an amazing tool to dominate the galaxy. But, ironically, he also carried that humiliating weakness. The same one which had caused his fall into Darkness was dragging him to the Light again. Earlier, due to his love for his wife, and now his love for his son. A grimace of mockery and disgust crossed his demonic face. He had always known this day would come, and that inflamed his spirit. Darkness moved around him, joining with the dark pit of his soul, stimulating his senses, delighting himself with his power and relishing in advance his victory. He would crush both Vader and his beloved son, Luke Skywalker. None of them had any choice against him. Maybe Vader, before becoming a human spoil, could have been a threat to consider. Maybe the young Skywalker could be another threat, had he been trained in the ways of the Force. But fortunately for him and unfortunately for the Skywalkers, none of these requirements were met.

"Your Majesty, we will reach Coruscant's orbit in two standard hours. Your ship is ready."

The Emperor waved a decrepit hand. The officer did not need anything else to disappear. Palpatine looked back to the galaxy's immensity again. His power was as huge and dark as the universe. He was the universe and the Force. No one could ever snatch his post from him. He had destroyed his own master, the wisest of all Sith Lords. Not even Master Yoda himself had been able to stop him. Anakin had been a rival to keep in mind, of course, but that problem vanished when he lost much of his body in Mustafar. Vader had been powerful in the Dark Side, but now, having returned to the Light, his strength had lowered considerably. He could perceive that even a few parsecs away. Coming back to the Light Side from the Dark Side was not easy, not even for Vader. Palpatine knew he was in his most vulnerable state and that satisfied him greatly. A wicked smile appeared on his decayed face. He would enjoy it very much by killing him, and he would do it in front of his own son. The smile turned demonic. The same as his old faithful dog's presence, he could also feel the huge supernova that was Luke Skywalker. Palpatine's mouth twisted in a grimace of hate and scorn. The boy seemed to have doubled his strength since the last time he had sensed him. There was no doubt that Vader had been training him. Well, it would be very interesting to see how much the young Jedi could bear without falling to the Dark Side, seeing his father die before his own eyes. Oh, yeah, it would be amazingly interesting...

"You are MINE, Skywalker..."

 _Sorry for such a short chapter! But the best is coming soon, I promise. And thank you for your reviews; they are always welcome!_


	12. Chapter 12

A few hundred parsecs away, Leia Organa felt as if a black abysm was just gobbling her. It was a feeling so frightfully evil that she was forced to lean on the control table to keep her balance.

"Are you fine, your highness?"

The young woman seemed not to listen to C3PO, which was bowing next to her.

"Princess Leia?" the worried droid insisted.

But she still did not answer. At that point, the protocol droid, already overwhelmed by hysterical anguish, had caught Han Solo's attention with his trembling voice. The Corellian approached and saw the beautiful petrified and pale profile. Chewie and R2 also approached.

"Leia ... Leia!" He said, grabbing her by the arm until he was able to bring her back to reality. The princess turned to him, her face terrified and her huge brown eyes filled with tears. Han felt something pierced his soul.

"What's wrong?"

"Luke ..." she said, speaking more to herself than to Han. "Luke is in danger. In mortal danger."

Han stared at the princess. He knew she was not lying. He had no idea how, but Leia was able, somehow, to sense if something bad was happening to the boy. It was not the first time that this had happened to her. The girl was already crying openly. Tears were flowing down her cheeks in complete silence while she was still absorbed, trying to fight against a black and invisible threat. She clenched her fist and wiped away her tears with fury and pain. Han hugged her. She was shaking. For a few moments, they held each other until the smuggler finally pulled away to look at her.

"What do you want to do, Leia?"

She finally looked at him.

"I want to help Luke. He's in Coruscant. With Vader."

Han swallowed. Yes, that was a great idea, of course. But he knew that, at that moment, Leia's brain could not think properly.

"If he's in Vader's hands, we can't do really much, Princess."

She shook her head.

"The threat is not Vader. It's another ... different."

Han did not blink.

"The threat is not Vader? Then who ...?"

Leia looked at him for a moment, though she actually seemed to be looking at something far beyond. Then, without a word, she slipped out of Han's arm, turned, and hurried away.

"Leia! Where the hell are you going? " shouted Han.

"To Coruscant."

Han froze. Chewie snarled at his side. Artoo gave a loud whistle and rolled behind the princess.

"Artoo!" Exclaimed C3PO. "Where are you going?"

Han did not think twice and started to run until he reached Leia. He tried to make her see sense.

"You can't go to Coruscant. You can't go to the Imperial Center! How the hell are you going to get there?"

"In the Millennium Falcon. And you will take me, "Leia said, without stopping her hurried pace.

"They will never allow you ..."

Han's words were interrupted. Leia headed straight for Mon Mothma.

"Excuse me, ma'am, but I have to establish a high-priority secret communication," Leia said.

The rebel leader watched the young woman. She knew her too well to realize that something very serious was happening.

"You don't have to apologize, Leia. Who do you want to communicate with?"

The princess took a deep breath.

"With Darth Vader."

* * *

Luke woke up panting as if a malevolent presence had flooded his mind. He was completely drenched in sweat. He tried to relax, calling for the Force, but the threat was still too present. It was an unfathomable signature of pure Darkness. It was freezing his blood, soul, bones, whispering directly in his mind ...

"You're MINE Skywalker..."

He fought with all his strength, with all the power he could gather. He clenched the fist of his cybernetic hand. He clenched his teeth and eyes.

"Never...!"

Suddenly, the door opened. The imposing figure of Darth Vader materialized from nowhere and rushed into the room. The young Jedi jumped, breathing heavily. He was still very aware of the dream he had had that night. The dream in which Vader had woke him up from his most horrible nightmares and had hugged him, becoming his father again, Anakin Skywalker. It had seemed so real...

"Luke..." whispered his father with infinite softness. "Are you okay?"

The boy swallowed. The frightening black mask looked as always did, but ... there was something else.

"Father…"

"You've felt it," said the low voice. "Palpatine knows it."

The young Jedi stared at him. He seemed to be in a trance for a moment, absorbed and incredulous.

"It wasn't... a dream."

His father looked at him, without understanding.

"What the hell...?"

Before he could finish the sentence, Luke pounced on him with such force that he was about to destabilize the huge dark figure.

"It wasn't a dream!" repeated the boy, hugging his father with all his strength, burying his face in the metallic chest. The former Dark Lord felt the emotions bubble again uncontrollably and lifted the boy, catching him in his arms. Again, the pure light descended upon him as a miracle remedy, removing the pain of his wounds, allowing him even to breathe deeply without feeling... nothing. That kid was a medicine for him. The son of his angel. His other angel.

"Did you think it was a dream?" Anakin asked softly, still hugging the boy. Luke just nodded, clutching his head against his father's chest. Then he slightly moved away.

"Seeing that you were wearing the suit and the mask... I thought you were still Vader. Why don't you... take them off?"

Anakin looked at his son with tenderness and sadness.

"Luke... I can't do without them, I need them for breathing. Besides... I think you'd better don't see my true face... It may disgust you much more than the mask."

The boy shook his head vehemently.

"That will never happen. I want to see your face. I want to see it," he begged.

Anakin sighed. He was about to tell him that they had more urgent problems to deal with. He was about to tell him that Palpatine would soon arrive and both would face their fate. Maybe death, maybe life. The situation was not the best for them. Luke was extraordinarily powerful, true, but if only he could have trained him a little more... He cursed himself. Not that he regretted leaving the Dark Side. Any sacrifice was worth it if he could save his son's life. However, leaving the Dark Side meant paying a heavy price. Despite the armor, he felt weak and just when he needed his full strength to help Luke. He cursed himself for the umpteenth time.

"Please..." Luke begged again.

He looked at the boy. His boy. His child. He would do everything for him. EVERYTHING. He loved him so much that it hurt. He would happily sacrifice his miserable life for saving him, and maybe that would happen very soon. He also needed to see him. He needed to see Luke as he really was. He could not die without seeing the true face of his son, and not that cursed red picture.

"All right... Come with me."

"No, I want to see you here. Now."

Anakin frowned.

"I can't take the mask off outside of my hyperbaric chamber. I can't breathe unless the oxygen concentration is 20% higher than normal."

"You will," Luke said with irrefutable assurance.

The former Dark Lord looked at him in surprise. What was the boy plotting?

"Trust me, Father."

Anakin looked at him. Of course, there was no one more trustworthy for him. He took a deep breath and opened with the Force the complex mechanism that attached the helmet to his head. Immediately, he felt the air on the exposed skin of the scalp. Then he did the same with the mask, listening to the familiar click of depressurization. Anakin held the air in his lungs, feeling a momentary terror. The air seemed to stick frozen pins into his sensitive scarred skin. But suddenly, panic faded when he stared at the image before him. There he was... Luke. His son was looking at him with a mixture of adoration and grief for his father's pain. Anakin was amazed to see him for the first time. The silky, dark blond hair fell on his forehead. The perfect nose. The lips, half-open in a gesture of longing and surprise. The cheeks, a little pink over the tan of the skin. The dimple in the chin. The sky blue eyes, as bright as Tatooine's twin suns. He had never seen anything more beautiful in his whole life... except his beloved wife. In fact, he could see her in the boy's kind-hearted expression and his slender build. He could also see himself in those eyes, identical to his own. He raised one hand and stroked with infinite tenderness the beloved face before him. Tears filled those heavenly eyes.

"Father..." Luke could barely whisper, before hugging him again.

The Light filled Anakin while he was hugging back the boy. And suddenly he was aware. He could... breathe! In fact, he was breathing and he did not feel any pain. How was that possible?

"I don't... understand," - he said aloud. "I'm... breathing."

Luke pulled away from him and smiled.

"I told you. The Light Side is getting stronger in you. And it's much more healing than the Dark Side. Soon, you will be just as powerful as before."

Anakin could not believe it. But the Force itself told him that Luke was not lying. He was trying to put order into his chaotic thoughts and feelings when suddenly, the comlink vibrated in his belt. He took it instantly.

"What happen?"

"Lord Vader," the voice rang. "We are receiving a secret communication. They desperately demand to talk to you."

Anakin frowned.

"Who is the interlocutor?"

"We don't know, my lord. We tried to locate the call, but it was impossible. Their insistence on talking to you seems imperious."

"Very well. I'm coming right now."

Father and son looked at each other suspiciously. Anakin stood up and adjusted the mask and the helmet on his head. He looked at his son again. They both knew it was not Palpatine.

"Get up, dressed and wait for me in the training room. I'll meet you soon."

Without another word, Anakin disappeared through the door.


	13. Chapter 13

For the second time in the same day, Darth Vader's still damaged lungs paralyzed, holding the breath with pure bewilderment. Before him, it had just materialized the hologram of none other than the beautiful princess of Alderaan. What the hell was meaning... that? For the first time, he took one more second to react.

"Princess Leia, to what do I owe such unexpected honor?"

The youth hardened her gaze.

"We both know that it is no honor for any of us," she replied dryly, forgetting all her diplomatic skills.

Despite the unusual situation, Anakin could not help a slight and twisted smile. Leia continued without giving him time to reply.

"I don't like wasting time with stupid formalities with someone like you, Vader. I want to talk to Luke immediately. Right now."

Anakin blinked. Was that girl giving orders to... him? True, he knew the princess and her demon-possessed temper very well. He still remembered how she had taunted Takin right in front of him, but she had never gone so far. A sudden burst of anger and pride made his voice thunder louder, more terribly similar to Vader when he answered.

"Perhaps do you think that I'm here to obey your orders?"

"I'm not here to argue with you. I want to talk to Luke and right now."

At that moment, Anakin could check that the princess, rather than angry, seemed tremendously worried and distressed. He could almost feel her anguish.

"Luke has been in my power for almost three months and just right now... Are you in a hurry to talk to him?"

Leia almost snorted impatiently.

"I will not waste time with explanations. I want..."

Anakin interrupted her.

"What's the meaning of such urgency? What happen?" he asked inquiringly.

Leia gritted her teeth. Finally, she sighed.

"I just want to know if he's fine."

The former Dark Lord narrowed his eyes. A suspicion began to grow inside him.

"Why wouldn't he be fine?"

"Of course, who could even imagine that he might be in danger, being in Darth Vader's hands?" replied Leia sarcastically.

Anakin lost his patience.

"You knew he was under my power all this time. ¿Why are you in such a hurry now? Either you answer the question or I will finish this stupid conversation."

The young princess seemed to hesitate. Anakin raised his hand to press the button on the holoprojector.

"Wait!" exclaimed Leia. "Okay, okay, I..." the young woman shook her head. "Maybe this sounds crazy, but... I've felt that Luke was in danger, in mortal danger."

The former Sith was motionless.

"You've... felt?" he repeated, talking to himself more than to her.

The princess nodded.

"I don't... I don't know how to explain it," continued Leia. "But, suddenly, barely minutes ago, I've felt as if an evil and dark shadow was freezing my blood. And I've also noticed that Luke was feeling the same."

Leia could not continue because the pain which was choking her. She swallowed hard and squeezed his eyes, trying to make disappear that horrible feeling. Then she looked back at the black mask.

"This is why I need to talk to Luke. I need to know he's okay," she looked at the dark figure in front of her and, for the first time, she begged. "Please, I need to talk to him. I need to know what's going on. I will do anything..."

Anakin was absolutely paralyzed. The Force seemed to resound in his mind and body. The princess... was Force-sensitive. How on earth had not he noticed it before? Suddenly, he remembered all the times she had been in his presence in the Death Star. He remembered her strength during the interrogation. How could he have been so blind? A feeling hit him like a shot. He stared at the beautiful face of the hologram. I could not be...

"Vader? Are you listening to me? I have to..."

"Who are your biological parents?" Anakin asked suddenly.

Leia blinked, incredulous.

"Wh...What? Where the hell is this coming from?"

"Answer the question." He demanded with such fierceness that Leia obeyed unintentionally.

"I don't know. The only thing I know about my birth parents is that my mother was a senator from the Old Republic, my father was a pilot and that they both died when I was born."

Anakin gritted his teeth and, for a moment, he staggered as if he had been struck by a bolt of lightning. More dirty lies... How many more of them existed? He fought to dominate the anger which was invading him and which was preventing him from breathing. The last thing he needed at that moment was the Dark Side taking the control. Meanwhile, Leia was puzzled. She understood absolutely nothing. First, Vader asked to her about her biological parents and now, it looked like someone had just kicked him in his stomach. ¿What the hell was going on?

"Vader, what's up? How do you know I'm adopted?"

Anakin managed to regain his battered composure. He could not reveal that truth. Not yet, much less under those circumstances. He looked at his daughter. His daughter... For the Force's sake! How could it be possible that he had not recognized her before? Despite the red filter of his mask's lenses and the distorted image of the hologram, he could see Padmé's features in the beautiful face of Leia. They were as two peas. The same brown hair and chocolate eyes; the same nose and strength in their convictions. He felt dying of pain when he remembered he had tortured his own daughter. What kind of father was him? He had been about to kill Luke in the Death Star's trench. He had cut off his right hand at Bespin and now, they both were there. Luke walking inevitably towards his final destiny, condemned to confront Palpatine solely for being his son and for being so damn powerful. And Leia...She was also being pulled into that black fate without even knowing that he was her father. And he was the only one responsible for everything. Again, he fought against his demons with all his strength; against his blame, anger, impotence, and doubts. He fought until he was exhausted. It was not the time to sink into his misery. He would do it later. He would purge his sins with his life in proper time. Now, all that mattered was at least keeping Leia safe, since he could not do the same with Luke. Palpatine had no idea that that the princess of Alderaan was a Skywalker and he had to continue to ignore that fact. Leia was beginning to suspect that something very weird was happening. The Force was strong in her and, in addition, she has his mother's intuition. He could not allow that the girl could put two and two together. Because if Leia found the truth, the bond with her twin brother would become so strong that Palpatine would discover her. No... Never. He lifted his head. He had to play his role masterfully.

"Your Highness, it was not so difficult to suspect that you were adopted. You've always had a courage and boldness that, clearly, have nothing to do with Bail Organa."

"How dare you?!"

"Your temper didn't come from the Organa family either..."

Leia clenched her fist furiously. She glared at Vader, inquisitive.

"If you always knew that I was adopted, why do you ask me about my birth parents just right now, at this exact moment?"

Anakin swallowed hard. Damn it! There it was... Padmé's proverbial intuition. His wife had always been able to discover anything and without using the Force. Unfortunately, Leia had both skills.

"Because in the past, I did not care at all who they were; but now I do."

"Why?" asked a surprised Leia.

"You are a Force-sensitive, which means that your parents also had that gift."

The princess opened her mouth.

"Force-sensitive? Am I a... Jedi?" she asked perplexed.

"No, thanks to the Force," the rich baritone voice answered with a genuine tone of sarcasm. "Being the treacherous rebel princess is more than enough. But that explains why you can feel Luke's signature."

Leia seemed to shot Anakin with her gaze, though his last words left her pensive. Anakin took advantage of her silence to continue.

"Your Highness, as you will certainly understand, I can't allow you talk to Luke. But you shouldn't feel concerned about him. He's perfectly fine."

"Why not?" Leia asked, angrily. "I know something serious is happening. I need to know what it is."

"If you really care about Luke, don't insist," warned Anakin. "I've told you that he's fine. Use the Force and it will tell you I'm not lying. If I allowed you to talk to him, Palpatine could feel it and I assure you would regret that."

Leia gritted her teeth.

"I'm not afraid at all of that walking corpse." The princess said with disdain.

Anakin shook his head.

"Well, you should be. Anyway, forget all of this. Luke is fine and this is all you need to know."

"You're hiding something, and I think it's more than one thing," the princess said with sureness. "Why do you talk as if...you want to protect Luke and me? Protect us from what?"

"I think this conversation has lasted long enough."

"No! Wait!"

But Anakin did not stop this time. With a click, Leia's hologram faded. Anakin remained motionless, looking at the place in which the beautiful image had been a few seconds ago. Maybe he would never see her again. It was a very high price to pay, but if it was necessary for keeping her safe, he would pay it gladly.

"Goodbye, my daughter..."


	14. Chapter 14

_Hello... I'm back! Sorry for such large absence. I've been REALLY busy. But I hope this wait was worth it._

Leia blinked puzzled and looked at the empty place where the threatening picture of Darth Vader had been floating just a few minutes ago. The young woman felt a sudden burst of rage and cursed the Dark Lord for the umpteenth time. How dared to cut the transmission like this and right at that moment? Vader had never been an epitome of delicacy and good manners but, somehow, he always knew how to behave with a minimum of composure, no matter the circumstances. That emotional outburst... Leia had the imperious feeling that something very serious was happening; something related to Luke and herself. And she would swear by Alderaan and by her parents' memory that Vader was hiding it from her. She could feel tension, fear, hate, love, warmth, hope... She didn't know where all that wave of feelings came from, but it climbed from her stomach to her mind with such strength that she felt stunned again and she had to lean on the wall.

Suddenly, a soft and luminous calm seemed to surround her, eliminating her fears and filling her with peace. It was a very similar feeling to the one she experienced when Luke was around, but, somewhat, it was also different. The young princess tried to put her chaotic thoughts in order. That feeling had been with her since she could remember, but now it seemed to be more intense. Leia had never understood why she was able to feel that way. She also knew that others did not experience that "weirdness" which she had tried to hide since childhood. She shook her head, trying to focus on what was important. Vader had told her that Luke was fine and although deep down she knew it was true, she also knew that something very dangerous was stalking her dearest friend. The Dark Lord had not wanted to admit it, but she knew it was true. She also knew, as crazy as it might seem, that the danger which threatened Luke was not Vader. The young Jedi had been in his hands for months and the Sith had kept him safe. Why? That was the unanswered question. Luke was the most wanted rebel in the galaxy. The only one whose reward surpassed the value of a city of standard size. And the only one whose reward pointed "ALIVE" in large scarlet letters, instead of the traditional "DEAD or ALIVE" written on posters of the other members of the Rebel Alliance. That was another unsolved mystery...

Leia shook her head. There was only one way to answer so many questions. She left the communication room and walked with a firm step to the control desk. Mon Mothma looked up. The young princess stopped in front of her. The veteran rebel leader raised an eyebrow.

"So?"

Leia huffed.

"I don't know why the hell I thought it would be a good idea to contact Darth Vader. He has cut the connection without answering my questions."

A slight smile curled Mon Mothma's lips. She looked into Leia's eyes.

"You're still worried about Commander Skywalker."

The young woman shook her head, desperately.

"You'll think I'm crazy, but I know something very serious is happening. Or rather, I know that something very serious is going to happen."

Leia knew that if she thought her crazy, she was going to really go mad. Mon Mothma had been almost like her spiritual and political guide. With the permission of her beloved father, Bail Organa, she had always supported her and had never treated her like a child. Not even when she was it. The woman rested a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

"I believe you, Leia. You've always had that ... intuition and it's never failed you. I know."

The princess sighed with a mixture of relief and pain.

"I need to know the truth. I have to go to Coruscant. I know it sounds crazy but I have to do it. I want to see Luke, and I also want to talk face to face with Vader. We have a conversation pending." Leia concluded, her eyes sparkling.

"You are aware of the danger to which you expose yourself, aren't you?"

"Absolutely. That's why I want to go alone."

Mon Mothma blinked in surprise. Leia clenched her fist.

"I don't want anyone to risk their life because of me."

"I don't think Captain Solo will very much in agreement with that ..."

"I don't care," Leia answered, stubbornly. "I'll go to Coruscant alone. I have some contacts in the Underworld that could facilitate my entry into the planet. I just need a ship anonymous enough to not awaken suspicion in the Imperial Center."

"Leia, now you're really saying nonsense. You can't go alone to Coruscant. I swore to your father that I would protect you and I will not allow this."

The princess seemed to soften her stubbornness at the loyalty of her mentor.

"I have to do it. You've always protected me since I was a child, but I am not anymore," she rested a hand on the veteran rebel leader's arm. "This is something that, in some way, I have to do. I'll stay safe, I swear."

Mon Mothma suppressed a snort.

"You can't swear that, Leia. And much less when you're going to venture alone into the lion's den," she shook her head, desperate. "At least, allow someone to go with you. Surely Captain Solo and his fellow Wookiee will not object to doing it. Well, they will, but I know that they'll go with you in spite of everything."

Leia shook her head.

"I repeat it again. I don't want to put anyone's life in danger. Much less Han's and Chewie's."

Mon Mothma took Leia's hand, desperate.

"At least allow me to inform Lord Vader of your purpose. He agreed to keep the privacy of your communication and, surprisingly, he did not try to track it. Maybe he can..." She rolled her eyes." I can't believe I'm going to say this but ... maybe he can provide you with a safe way to get to Coruscant."

Leia glared at her.

"Absolutely not. Vader will be informed of my arrival when he has to give me some explanations personally but not before."

"Why not?"

"Because I know he would prevent me from doing it."

Mon Mothma looked at the princess.

"Yes, I understand anything either. That's why I have to go."

The veteran leader swallowed hard. Things were rushing too fast. She looked at Leia and could not help but think that she was the living image of her mother, Padmé. The young princess knew absolutely nothing and she knew ... everything. She could not let the young woman go to face her destiny in that way. If something happened to her ...She would never forgive herself. But on the other hand, Mothma knew it was useless to hold her. Leia always got away with it, and if she had the firm intention of doing something, she would do it even though the entire galaxy collapsed. She was very able to steal a ship under in front of everybody' noses and flee from the base. Mon Mothma closed her eyes for a moment. She opened them again a second later.

"Do you do all this for Luke Skywalker? I thought your heart belonged to Captain Solo."

Leia blinked in surprise. Mon Mothma knew that she and Han ... She made a titanic effort to maintain her proud composure, but she felt that multiple emotions were seizing her. She had never been able to talk about her feelings with anyone, but with Mon Mothma it was different.

"Indeed. My heart belongs to that scoundrel... Sometimes, to my great regret," she admitted. "What I feel for Luke is... different. Another kind of love. It's peculiar and extraordinarily strong. I don't know how to explain it..."

Mon Mothma chose to remain silent. Finally, she sighed.

"Can you fly an imperial shuttle?"

Leia smiled.


	15. Chapter 15

Anakin Skywalker gritted his teeth behind the mask of Vader and the scarlet lightsaber seemed to move willingly. A blinding light rose from the violent crash between the red and the blue blade. Luke gasped, surprised, and jumped backward, trying to pull away enough to take a second in the middle of the fierce fight.

"I... I can't fight you..." he said, dejected.

But his father didn't give him a break. He moved towards the boy in a microsecond, unleashing a burst of thrusts at the speed of thought, forcing him to move back, chasing him relentlessly.

"You MUST do it," he ordered him fiercely.

Luke felt the overwhelming Force signature which flowed from his father. He was astonished to seeing such power. It was a blinding Light but also Darkness firmly contained. He had never seen some like this before. His father had left the Dark Side barely an hour ago and even though it seemed to debilitate his strength at first, it was clear that that was only a delusion. His Force power had increased exponentially as his pain from the old wounds was decreasing thanks to the Light Side of the Force. Now, Anakin seemed to handle the Force with an incredible mastery, balancing Light and Darkness and taking power from both sides. He knew that his father was forcing him to take advantage of his last training before the final test. He knew it and, however, he felt he couldn't fight him.

"Come on, Luke," he said gently this time. "Don't think you are fighting me; think that we have to do this for the galaxy's sake."

" _And for your mother..."_ he added, whispering through the Force.

Luke glared at his father. He felt a huge surge of love radiating from the imposing black figure which resounded into his soul and made his eyes get wet. His father was right. The young Jedi tightened his lightsaber hilt and, this time, he attacked. Anakin smiled and blocked the stunningly fast blows. The power of the boy was unleashed at last. The former Dark Lord gasped, trying to stop the overwhelming offensive. The Force which was flowing from his son was practically infinite. Never before, in his whole life, had he felt something like this in someone, not even master Yoda himself. Anakin could see that the boy was trembling, making a huge effort to handle that power as if, somehow, he was afraid of being unable to control it and everything could explode into an apocalyptic chaos.

 _"Don't be afraid of the Force, Luke,"_

The unmistakable voice of his father sounded into his mind, caressing it. Luke let flow slowly the air which was holding into his lungs. Again, his father was right. The Force was his ally. It was a part of him like his heart, mind, eyes, legs, arms and the rest of his body. There was no point in fearing the Force or even the Darkness. The young Jedi moved forward at the speed of thought; for the first time with absolute confidence. Anakin also gave himself to the Force and, for several minutes, the thrusts were developed in such a way that no observer could have seen them. The former Dark Lord felt his chest exploded with an ecstasy of pure happiness due to the amazing grueling duel. They fought ferociously without considering the consequences till, suddenly, Anakin was aware that he was... moving back. His wounded pride lasted a few seconds and disappeared before the explosion of fatherly pride which flooded him suddenly. That seemed to cut his concentration for a moment. Luke did not miss the opportunity. During a feint at the speed of lightning, the scarlet blade became entangled with the blue one, lost the grip of the robotic hand which was holding it and went flying several meters away.

Both of them stopped short, paralyzed. Luke was panting as he held the blinding blue sky blade up in front of his father. The boy blinked as if he was just awakening from a dream. He moved down the blade and deactivated it. The lightsaber slipped from his hand and fell to the ground with a slight crash. Father and son looked at each other as if they were in a trance. As if they couldn't assimilate what had happened some seconds before. Emotions overwhelmed them. Luke felt dizzy. It could not be true, it couldn't be... Had he just... disarmed his father?!

Anakin was the first to react. Without a word, he approached his son and lifted him off the floor without ceremony to crush him against his chest in a hug as full of love as lacking delicacy. He seemed to notice instantly and loosened the grip a little, but only a little.

"You did it, Luke. You did it. I am so... proud of you, my son. My child..."

Luke tried to answer but he couldn't for two reasons. First, the emotion was strangling his throat, and second, his father's durasteel arms hardly allow him to breathe. He would gladly die at that very moment simply knowing that his father loved him and was proud of him. During his whole life, his heart had longed for this as a thirsty yearns for water; and he had never had it. Now yes, he had it. The boy buried his head in the metal chest even more. Finally, Anakin released him and separated, keeping the boy grabbed half a meter away. Luke wanted to say too many things, but he did not even know where to begin. They knew their destiny was approaching. But before the boy could open his mouth, an unmistakable feeling flooded him, hitting him. Anakin raised his head as if he had also feeling something.

"Leia..." Luke gasped.

Anakin looked at his son. No, no, that could not be true... Before he could react, an officer entered with a bow. Right behind him, a small platoon of stormtroopers stopped in the doorway.

"Milord, we have captured..." the man shook his head, both incredulous and nervous."You'd better see it yourself."

The platoon broke ranks to reveal...

"¡Leia!" Luke shouted.

The young princess was paralyzed.

"¡Luke!"

Before any of those astonished present could say anything else, the princess got free from the grasp of the stormtrooper who was guarding her and ran towards the young Jedi. Luke did the same and both hugged each other with all their might.


End file.
